Sa [1]
Literal translation: "Life." However, this definition doesn't apply with regard to the compound word "Sa-Fora" in which "Sa" translates to mean "Chain." See: "Sa-Fora."

"Interestingly enough, the word for meat is Sa-Tassna, which means Life-Mother." — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 43-44.

"… Sa-Tarna, or Life-Daughter. The expression is related to Sa-Tassna, the expression for meat, or for food in general, which means Life-Mother." — Outlaw of Gor, page 75.

"Another frequently heard expression is Sa-Fora, a compound word, meaning, rather literally, Chain Daughter, or Daughter of the Chain." — Nomads of Gor, pages 29-30.

Sa [2]
In the language of the red savages, a term meaning "red." Generally used as a suffix in a compound word.

Please, Tatankasa," had said Canka. This was what he had called me, when he had learned that I was willing to fight with his men, no quarter given or taken. It means, in effect, Red Bull." Tatanka" designates the kailiauk bull, and the suffix 'sa' means red. In Kaiila, as in most of the languages of the Barrens, the adjective commonly succeeds the noun. The name was one in which respect was conveyed. — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 15.

Saber
Uncommon weapon on Gor.

Sacramasax
The Alar version of the gladius.

Sacred Affliction
See: "Dar-Kosis."

"The figure seemed to shrink backward and grow smaller in its yellow rags. Pointing to its shadowed, concealed face, it whispered, 'The Holy Disease.' That was the literal translation of Dar-Kosis—the Holy Disease—or, equivalently, the Sacred Affliction." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 150.

[The] Sacred Place
Any place considered sacred by an individual or by many individuals. On Gor, once such place, predominant with most Goreans, refers to the Sardar mountains, the home of the Priest-Kings.

"The Priest-Kings," said my father, "maintain the Sacred Place in the Sardar mountains, a wild vastness into which no man penetrates. The Sacred Place, to the minds of most men here, is taboo, perilous." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 29.

Saddle Blanket
Coarse blankets to protect the hide of the kaiila.

"Then I passed a shop where the high, light kaiila saddles were being made. One could also buy there, saddle blankets, quirts, bells and kaiila reins." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 56.

Saddle Knife
Also known as the quiva; favored weapon of the wagon peoples.

"This Tuchuk horn bow was now strung, the quiver attached to the saddle with the rope sword; I carried the killing knife I had taken from the back of Mip; lastly, thrust in my belt, was the double-edged quiva, the Tuchuk saddle knife." — Assassin of Gor, page 366.

Saddle Makers, Caste of
One of the low castes of Gor; the makers of saddles.

"By this time there were four or five other individuals gathered about, besides myself, to observe the play. There was a Builder, two Saddle Makers, a Baker, and a Tarn Keeper, a fellow who wore on his shoulder a green patch, indicating he favored the Greens." — Assassin of Gor, page 32.

Sa-eela
One of the many slave dances of Gor.

Safety Straps
Straps which are used to hold a rider in the tarn saddle.

"… we turned and, held in the saddles by safety straps, spinning, we struck at one another, tarn goads like swords…" — Assassin of Gor, page 371.

Sa-Fora
Literal translation is Chain Daughter or Daughter of the Chain; expression for slave girl.

"Kajira is perhaps the most common expression for a female slave. Another frequently heard expression is Sa-Fora, a compound word, meaning, rather literally, Chain Daughter, or Daughter of the Chain." — Nomads of Gor, pages 29-30.

Sail-Makers
The makers of sails for ships.

"The next matter for consideration was the negotiation of a dispute between the sail-makers and the rope-makers in the arsenal with respect to priority in the annual Procession to the Sea, which takes place on the first of En'Kara, the Gorean New Year." — Raiders of Gor, page 134.

Sais
One of the Vosk River townships.

"West of Ar's Station on the river I had visited Jort's Ferry, Point Alfred, Jasmine, Siba, Sais, and Sulport." — Rogue of Gor, page 63.

Sajel
A pustulant; combined with gieron simulates symptoms of the dreaded Bazi Plague.

Salamander
These amphibious lizards are mentioned inhabiting the brine pits of Klima.

Saleria
A derivation of Salerius. Used to broadly describe the fertile basin territories north and south of the Olni River which the Salerian Confederation professes to maintain control. Refer to Salerius.

"The Salerian Confederation, incidentally, is also sometimes known as the Four Cities of Saleria. The expression 'Saleria', doubtless owing its origin to the meadow of Salerius, is used broadly, incidentally, to refer to the fertile basin territories both north and south of the Olni, the lands over which the confederation professes to maintain a hegemony." — Fighting Slave of Gor, pages 171-172.

Salerian Confederation
The alliance of four (4) cities on Gor, formed to rid the Olni River of the pirate influence and protect inland shipping. See also: "Four Cities of Saleria."

"… Ti, of the Four Cities of Saleria, of the Salerian Confederation." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 110.

Salerius
A large meadow located on the northern bank of the Olni. .

"The Salerian Confederation, incidentally, is also sometimes known as the Four Cities of Saleria. The expression 'Saleria', doubtless owing its origin to the meadow of Salerius, is used broadly, incidentally, to refer to the fertile basin territories both north and south of the Olni, the lands over which the confederation professes to maintain a hegemony. The meadow of Salerius, thus, lies on the northern bank of the Olni, between Port Olni and Vonda; the area called Saleria, on the other hand, is, in effect the lands controlled by the confederation." — Fighting Slave of Gor, pages 171-172.

Salerius
A large meadow located on the northern bank of the Olni between Port Olni and Vonda. .

"The Salerian Confederation, incidentally, is also sometimes known as the Four Cities of Saleria. The expression 'Saleria', doubtless owing its origin to the meadow of Salerius, is used broadly, incidentally, to refer to the fertile basin territories both north and south of the Olni, the lands over which the confederation professes to maintain a hegemony. The meadow of Salerius, thus, lies on the northern bank of the Olni, between Port Olni and Vonda; the area called Saleria, on the other hand, is, in effect the lands controlled by the confederation." — Fighting Slave of Gor, pages 171-172.

Sales Pavilion
The great sales areas in the fairs of the Sardar in which, beneath these massive tents are literally hundreds of platforms presenting slaves for sales.

"I came to the great sales pavilion, but it was now roped off and quiet. There was much activity, and bustle, however, among the platforms… There are hundreds of such platforms… Sales take place at night in the pavillion, from a sawdust-strewn block, under the light of torches …" — Beasts of Gor, page 53.

Salt
Most of the salt used on Gor is from the mines of Klima, located in the Tahari desert. Table salts are traded in cannisters. The Torvaldslander, however, gathers his salt from the sea. Most salt on Gor is white, however, due to ferrous oxide deposits, some salt mined at Klima is red in color; this red salt is famed, known as the Red Salt of Kasra, being named for its port of embarkation at the juncture of the Upper and Lower Fayeen. There is also mention of a yellow colored salt, but no indication of where this salt is mined or found, except that it is "from the south."

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sealt; akin to Old Frisian, Old Saxon, Old Norse, & Gothic salt, Old High German salz, Latin sal salt, Greek hals salt, sea, Armenian al salt, Sanskrit salila sea;
       "A colorless or white crystalline compound NaCl consisting of sodium chloride that occurs abundantly in nature both solid in minerals (as halite) and in solution, that has various uses (as for seasoning food, preserving meat, manufacturing sodium, chlorine, and their compounds, making glass and soap, and refrigerating), that constitutes about 2.6 percent of seawater, is found in small quantities in fresh water, and is present in all animal fluids and especially in urine, that is obtained commercially from deposits in the earth or by evaporation of natural brines (as seawater), and that in the commercial form usually contains small quantities of the deliquescent salts magnesium chloride and calcium chloride that cause it to attract moisture — called also common salt." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"It had been expected, I gathered, that I would sit at one of the two long side tables, and perhaps even below the bowls of red and yellow salt which divided these tables." — Assassin of Gor, page 86.

"Salt, incidentally, is obtained by the men of Torvaldsland, most commonly, from sea water or from the burning of seaweed. It is also, however, a trade commodity, and is sometimes taken in raids. The red and yellow salts of the south, some of which I saw on the tables, are not domestic to Torvaldsland." — Marauders of Gor, page 187.

"Most salt at Klima is white, but certain of the mines deliver red salt, red from ferrous oxide in its composition, which is called the Red Salt of Kasra, after its port of embarkation, at the juncture of the Upper and Lower Fayeen. In Gor's geologic past it seems that the salt districts, like scattered puddles of crystalline residue, are what remains of what was once an inland salt sea or several such. It may be that, in remote times, an arm of Thassa extended here, or did extend here and then, later, in seismic dislocations or continental rift became isolated from the parent body of water, leaving behind one or more smaller salt seas. Or it may be that the seas were independent, being fed by rivers, washing down accumulated salt from rocks over millions of square pasangs. It is not known. In the salt districts salt is found either in solid form or in solution. Klima, among the salt districts, is most famous for its brine pits. Salt can be found in solid form either above or below ground." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 238.

Salt Leach
Blood sucking worm found in marshy areas.

"I flicked a salt leach from the side of my light rush craft with the corner of the tem-wood paddle." — Raiders of Gor, page 5.

Salt Shark
One of the several varieties of this carnivorous marine beast.

"At the top of the food chain in the pits, a descendant, dark-adapted, of the terrors of the ancient seas, stood the long-bodied, nine-gilled salt shark…" — Tribesmen of Gor, page 249.

[The] Sames
A group of the Waniyanpi, who are strict adherents to the Teaching, which believes that males and females are the same; most probably on the basis that the men are not willing to fight for their lives against the red savages. See also: "The Teaching" and "Waniyanpi."

"I was born Waniyanpi, in one of the Waniyanpi enclosures of the Kailiauk," she said, "the product of a forced mating, between parents unknown even to themselves, parents selected and matched by the red masters, parents who, even though they were Sames, were forced to perform the Ugly Act, hooded and under whips, on the day of Waniyanpi breeding." — Savages of Gor, page 233.

Samnium
Walled city located southeast of Brundisium.

"We were not in Samnium, but in the Market of Semris. This is a much smaller town, south, and somewhat to the east, of Samnium." — Dancer of Gor, page 106.

San
One (masculine).

"… of a Ubar San, a one Ubar…" pg. — Nomads of Gor, page 11.

Sana
One (feminine). See: "San."

"This woman," said Kamchak of the Tuchuks, brusquely, his voice stern but almost breaking, "… she is Ubara Sana …" — Nomads of Gor, page 340.

Sand Clock
Also: "Sand Glasses"
What is known on Earth as an hourglass; traditionally used in kaissa matches but also found in the desert regions.

"A fellow with him carried the sand clocks. These clocks are arranged in such a way that each has a tiny spigot which may be opened and closed, this determining whether sand falls or not. These spigots are linked in such a way that when one is open the other must be closed… There are precision chronometers on Gor, incidentally, and a more mechanical method of time control is technically feasible. The sand clocks, on the other hand, tend to be a matter of tournament tradition." — Beasts of Gor, page 85.

Hassan looked about himself. "What is the hour?" asked Hassan.
       One of the inn boys, sitting in an apron, on a bench near the large, cylindrical sand clock, glanced at it. "Past the nineteenth hour," he said. He yawned. He would stay up until the twentieth hour, the Gorean midnight, at which time he would turn the clock, and retire. — Tribesmen of Gor, page 180.

"The average Gorean has a variety of simple devices at his disposal for making the passage of time. Typical among them are marked, or calibrated, candles, sun dials, sand glasses, clepsydras and oil clocks." — Magicians of Gor, page 358.

Sand Flies
Tiny black flies found in the Tahari, which infest water holes; a vicious nuisance inflicting painful bites in both people and animals.

"They put honey about her, to attract the tiny black sand flies, which infest such water holes in the spring." — Tribesmen Gor, page 81.

Sand Glasses
Also: "Sand Clock"
What is known on Earth as an hourglass; traditionally used in kaissa matches but also found in the desert regions.

"The average Gorean has a variety of simple devices at his disposal for making the passage of time. Typical among them are marked, or calibrated, candles, sun dials, sand glasses, clepsydras and oil clocks." — Magicians of Gor, page 358.

Sand Kaiila
Also called the Desert Kailla;, a species of kaiila native to the Tahari.

"The sand kaiila, or desert kaiila, is a kaiila, and handles similarly, but it is not identically the same animal which is indigenous, domestic and wild, in the middle latitudes of Gor's southern hemisphere…" — Tribesmen of Gor, page 70.

Sand Veil
Veil worn by riders of the sand kaiila to keep from breathing dust and sand.

"He pulled his sand veil, yellow, from his dark face, down about his throat." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 59.

Sandal Thongs
Pieces of leather used to tie secure sandals on a person's feet.

"We began to rummage through some of the chests and, almost immediately, Elizabeth discovered some five pairs of sandal thongs." — Assassin of Gor, page 53.

 

 

Sa'ng
Literal translation: "Without."

"On the wall itself over the gate in huge letters there was scrawled the legend 'Sa'ng-Fori,' literally 'Without Chains' but perhaps better translated simply as 'Freedom' or 'Liberty'." — Outlaw of Gor, page 216.

Sa'ng-Fori
A compound word in which the literal translation is "without chains," but is better translated as "freedom" or "liberty."

"On the wall itself over the gate in huge letters there was scrawled the legend 'Sa'ng-Fori,' literally 'Without Chains' but perhaps better translated simply as 'Freedom' or 'Liberty'." — Outlaw of Gor, page 216.

Sapa
The term in the language of the red savages is "black."

"Adjectives in sign commonly, though not always, follow the noun, so to speak. This arrangement is doubtless to be expected, for it reflects a common grammatical feature of the spoken languages of the red savages. The word 'mazasapa', for example, literally means 'black metal.' 'Maza' is the word for 'metal' and 'sapa' is the word for 'black'. We would translate the expression, of course, as 'iron'." — Savages of Gor, page 246.

Sapphire
Gemstone found on Gor; used in adorning weaponry and jewelry. The most precious of sapphire comes from Schendi.

"From the lobe of each small, round ear there hung an enormous earring, a sapphire pendant on a golden stalk." — Outlaw of Gor, page 191.

"Many goods pass in and out of Schendi… One of her most famous, and precious, exports are the small carved sapphires of Schendi. These are generally a deep blue, but some are purple and others, interestingly, White or yellow. They are usually carved in the shape of tiny Panthers, but sometimes other animals are found as well, usually small animals or birds. Sometimes, however, the stone is carved to resemble a tiny kailiauk or kailiauk head." — Explorers of Gor, page 115.

Sardar
Literal translation is "Priest-King." Also the name of the mountains where the Priest-Kings live.

"Had I possessed a Gorean compass, its needle would have pointed invariably to those mountains, as though to indicate the home of the Priest-Kings." — Outlaw of Gor, page 179.

"It came about late in the month of En'Kara in the year 10,117 from the founding of the City of Ar that I came to the Hall of Priest-Kings in the Sardar Mountains on the planet Gor, our Counter-Earth … None of the animals of Gor, as far as I knew, could enter the Sardar. Only men could enter, and they did not return." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 7.

"Lo Sardar" — "I am a Priest-King.'" — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 220.

"Ta-Sardar-Gor," he had said, and this phrase had been repeated by the others in the room. "To the Priest-Kings of Gor." — Nomads of Gor, page 90.

Sardar Fairs
The four large annual fairs of Gor.

"Four times a year, correlated with the solstices and equinoxes, there are fairs held in the plains below the mountains, presided over by committees of Initiates, fairs in which men of many cities mingle without bloodshed, times of truce, times of contests and games, of bargaining and marketing." — Outlaw of Gor, page 47.

"It was not far to the fair of En'Kara, one of the four great fairs held in the shadow of the Sardar during the Gorean year, and I soon walked slowly down the long central avenue between the tents, the booths and stalls, the pavilions and stockades of the fair, toward the high, brassbound timber gate, formed of black logs, beyond which lies the Sardar itself, the sanctuary of this world's gods, known to the men below the mountains, the mortals, only as Priest-Kings." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 8.

Sardar Mountains
Mountain range which serves as the home of the Priest-Kings.

"It came about late in the month of En'Kara in the year 10,117 from the founding of the City of Ar that I came to the Hall of Priest-Kings in the Sardar Mountains on the planet Gor, our Counter-Earth… None of the animals of Gor, as far as I knew, could enter the Sardar. Only men could enter, and they did not return." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 7.

Sashes and Scarves
Worn with djellabas, chalwars, kaftans, and robes.

There were sellers of scarves and sashes, veils and haiks, chalwars and tobes, and slippers and kaftans, and cording for agals." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 50.

Sa-Tarna
A compound word meaning "Life Daughter" and is in reference to the yellow grain which is the staple grain of Gor.

"… and the staple crop was a yellow grain called Sa-Tarna, or Life-Daughter… The expression for the yellow grain seems to be a secondary expression, derivative. This would seem to indicate that a hunting economy underlay or was prior to the agricultural economy." — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 43-44.

"Far to my left I saw a splendid field of Sa-Tarna, bending beautifully in the wind, that tall yellow grain that forms a staple in the Gorean diet." — Outlaw of Gor, pages 19-20.

Sa-Tarna Bread
The staple bread made from the grains of Sa-Tarna.

"Beyond the Sullage and the bosk steak there was the inevitable flat, rounded loaf of the yellow Sa-Tarna bread." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 45.

Sa-Tarna Porridge
A mixture of water, grains, and other ingredients, that serves as the main sustenance for slaves. There are many varieties.

"Like the bond-maids, she had been fed only on cold Sa-Tarna porridge and scraps of dried parsit fish." — Marauders of Gor, page 56.

"The men who had fished with the net had now cleaned the catch of parsit fish, and chopped the cleaned, boned, silverish bodies into pieces, a quarter inch in width. Another of the bond-maids was then freed to mix the bond-maid gruel, mixing fresh water with Sa-Tarna meal, and then stirring in the raw fish. … — Marauders of Gor, pages 63-64.

"We were served gruel, mixed with thick chunks of boiled tabuk…" — Beasts of Gor, page 162.

"Eta now came forward. She held two copper bowls of gruel. Next to me, she knelt before my captor; she put one bowl down before me; then, holding the other bowl, she handed it to my captor; one of the men pulled my head up by the hair, so I could see clearly what was being done; my captor took the bowl of gruel from Eta, and then, saying nothing, handed it back to her. Now he, and his men, and Eta, looked at me. I then understood what I must do. I picked up the bowl of gruel, with both hands, and, kneeling, handed it to my captor. He took the bowl. Then he handed it back to me. I might now eat. I knelt, shaken, the bowl of gruel in my hands. The symbolism of the act was not lost upon me. It was from him, he, symbolically, that I received my food. It was he who fed me. It was he upon whom I depended, that I would eat. Did he not choose to feed me, I understood, I would not eat. My head down, following Eta's example, I ate the gruel. We were given no spoons. With our fingers and, like cats, with our tongues, we finished the gruel. It was plain. It was not sugared or salted. It was slave gruel. Some days it was all that would be given to me." — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 65-66.

Sa-Tassna
A compound word meaning "Life Mother" and refers to meat, and to food in general.

"Interestingly enough, the word for meat is Sa-Tassna, which means Life-Mother. Incidentally, when one speaks of food in general, one always speaks of Sa-Tassna." — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 43-44.

"… Sa-Tarna, or Life-Daughter. The expression is related to Sa-Tassna, the expression for meat, or for food in general, which means Life-Mother." — Outlaw of Gor, page 75.

"… the yellow grains of Gor's staple crop, Sa-Tarna, or Life-Daughter. The expression is related to Sa-Tassna, the expression for meat, or for food in general, which means Life-Mother." — Outlaw of Gor, pages 74-75.

Sawyer
Person skilled at sawing. Sawyers are not to be confused with carpenters, who actually build things out of wood. Sawyers merely saw and form the wood into specific shapes.

Date: 13th century;
"One that saws." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

The next item on the agenda dealt with the demand of the pulley-makers to receive the same wage per Ahn as the oar-makers. I voted for this measure, but it did not pass. A Captain next to me snorted, "Give the pulley-makers the wage of oar-makers, and sawyers will want the wages of carpenters, and carpenters of shipwrights!" — Raiders of Gor, page 134.

Scagnar
One of the exchange islands which are governed under merchant law.

"Perhaps she would be sold south to Schendi or Bazi, or north to a jarl of Torvaldsland, Scagnar or Hunjer, or across Thassa to Tabor or Asperiche, or taken up the Vosk in a cage to an island city, perhaps eventually to find herself in Ko-ro-ba, Thentis or Tharna, or even Ar itself." — Hunters of Gor, page 317.

Scanning Room
The room which houses all instrumentation devices utilized by the Priest-Kings in observing activities on Gor. This room also houses the Flame Death Mechanism. See also: "Flame Death" and "Flame Death Mechanism."

"Nonsense," said Misk. "But perhaps I shall show you the Scanning Room someday. We have four hundred Priest-Kings who operate the scanners, and we are accordingly well informed. For example, if there is a violation of our weapons laws we usually, sooner or later, discover it and after determining the coordinates put into effect the Flame Death Mechanism." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 125.

At my request Sarm took me to the Scanning Room, whence the surface of Gor is kept under selective surveillance by the Priest-Kings. Patterns of small ships, not satellites, invisible from the ground and remotely controlled, carry the lenses and receptors which beam information to the Sardar… The receptors on the surveillance craft were equipped to handle patterns of light, sound and scent, which, selectively collected and reconcentrated, were beamed to the Sardar for processing and analysis. Reconstituted in large observation cubes these patterns might then be monitored by Priest-Kings. Provisions were available also, as you might suppose, for taping the transmissions of the surveillance craft.
       "I once saw a man die the Flame Death," I said. "Is that mechanism also in this room?"
       "Yes," said Sarm, indicating with one foreleg a quiet-looking metal cabinet to one side possessing several dials and knobs. — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 136.

Scar Codes
Scars which have great meaning to the wagon peoples.

"I was looking on the faces of four men, warriors of the Wagon Peoples. On the face of each there were, almost like corded chevrons, brightly colored scars … now, more significantly, I recalled what I had heard whispered of once before, in a tavern in Ar, the terrible Scar Codes of the Wagon Peoples, for each of the hideous marks on the face of these men had a meaning, a significance that could be read by the Paravaci, the Kassars, the Kataii, the Tuchuks as clearly as you or I might read a sign in a window or a sentence in a book." — Nomads of Gor, pages 15-16.

Scent-Dots
Phonemes (scents) which provide the means for the Priest-Kings communicate.

"We passed several high steel portals in the hallway and on each of these, about twenty feet high… were certain dots, which I was later to learn were scent-dots. If the scent-dots were themselves not scented one might be tempted to think of them as graphemes in the language of the Priest-Kings, but since they themselves are scented they are best construed as analogous to uttered phonemes or phoneme combinations, direct expressions of the oral syllabary of the Priest-Kings." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 100.

Scent Maps
"Maps" of the tunnels of the Nest by which the Priest-Kings navigate.

"The headquarters for the forces of Misk lay in his compartment and there, pouring over the scent maps of the tunnels, he directed the placement of his defenses." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 229.

Scent-Music
"Music" of the Priest-Kings, which is rhythmically "played" scents.

"To one side I could see four Priest-Kings handling the knobs of a large scent-producer… there were perhaps hundreds of knobs on each side and one Priest-King on each side with great skill and apparent rhythm touched one knob after another in intricate patterns. I had little doubt that these Priest-Kings were the most highly regarded musicians of the Nest…" — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 212.

"As the musicians continued to produce their rhapsodic involute rhythms of aroma …" — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 214.

"The scent-music suddenly stopped…" — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 217.

Scent-Needles
Needles by which Priest-Kings implant Scent-Tapes.

"What I could see suggested paneling and instrumentation, banks of scent-needles and gauges, numerous tiered decks of wiring and copper plating." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 117.

Scent-Tapes
Recorded information used by the Priest-Kings.

"Perhaps not," said Sarm. "It may be that you are to be destroyed immediately. I must check the scent-tapes."
       Sarm, who stood in the long room on an oval dais, seemed satisfied with this transaction. He turned to the walls behind him which were covered with thousands of tiny illuminated knobs. He pulled certain of these out from the wall and they seemed to be attached to slender cords which he passed between his antennae. He spent perhaps an Ahn in this activity and then, exasperated, turned to face me. "The scent-tapes are silent," said Sarm. — Priest-Kings of Gor, pages 91-92.

"There were on one side of the room, racks of scent-tapes, some of which were spinning slowly, unwinding their tapes through slowly rotating translucent, glowing spheres." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 117.

Schendi [1]
In the dialects of the inland language, this word appears to have no obvious, direct meaning, though it is speculated that it is a corruption of the word "Ushindi" and thusly, being a possible derivation of the word Ushindi, would also share the meaning of "Victory." See also: "Ushindi."

"The word Schendi, as nearly as I can determine, has no obvious, direct meaning in itself. It is generally speculated, however, that it is a phonetic corruption of the inland word Ushindi, which, long ago, was apparently used to refer to this general area. In that sense, I suppose, one might think of Schendi, though it has no real meaning of its own, as having an etiological relationship to a word meaning 'Victory'." — Explorers of Gor, page 100.

Schendi [2]
Major port city of the inland region; home of the League of Black Slavers.

"Slaves, interestingly, do not count as one of the major products of Schendi, in spite of the fact that the port is the headquarters of the League of Black Slavers." — Explorers of Gor, page 115.

Schendi Gull
Gull commonly found in the Schendi region.

"Those are Schendi gulls," said Ulafi, pointing to birds which circled about the mainmast. "They nest on land at night." — Explorers of Gor, page 99.

Scimitar of Discipline
The penalty for a runaway slave can be dismemberment. This discipline is used by the black slavers in which a scimitar is brought and threateningly laid against the flesh of a slave girl as if she were to be dismembered. The fright the girl experiences is generally enough to deter any future ideas of running away.

"Bring the scimitar of discipline," said Ulafi. This was brought by a guardsman. Ulafi showed the heavy, curved blade to the girl. She looked at it with horror.
       "You should not have run away, little white slave," he said. — Explorers of Gor, page 69.

Scoop
Large spoon-like mechanisms used for digging canalways; a dredge. Not really much is said of this particular piece of machinery, except in this one quote:

Pictured: Modern Dredge.
Large floating device for underwater excavation. Dredging has four principal objectives: (1) to develop and maintain greater depths than naturally exist for canals, rivers, and harbours; (2) to obtain fill to raise the level of lowlands and thus create new land areas and improve drainage and sanitation; (3) to construct dams, dikes, and other control works for streams and seashore; and (4) to recover subaqueous deposits or marine life having commercial value. — Encyclopaedia Britannica ©2006

"Waters from the overflow of Lake Ngao entered the great marsh between Ngao and Ushindi, and, thence, made their ways to Ushindi, which, by means of the Kamba and Nyoka, drained to gleaming Thassa, the sea. The intent of the engineers of Bila Huruma was to set in place two parallel walls, low walls, some five or six feet high, placed about two hundred yards apart. The area between these walls, the marsh waters diverted on either side, was then to be drained and readied for the digging of the main channel. In this work draft tharlarion and great scoops, brought from the north, as well as gigantic work crews, would be used." — Explorers of Gor, page 220.

Scorpions
Stinging insects found in desert regions.

"Here, too, may be found snakes and monkeys, gliding urts, leaf urts, squirrels, climbing, long-tailed porcupines, lizards, sloths, and the usual varieties of insects, ants, centipedes, scorpions, beetles and flies, and so on." — Explorers of Gor, page 311.

Scribe
A Kaissa piece.

"The men ambled over to watch. I supposed they were interested in seeing what the Player's response would be to yellow's fourteenth move, a move on which authorities disagreed sharply, some favoring Ubar's Initiate to Scribe three, and others the withdrawal of Ubara's Spearman to cover the vulnerable Ubar's two. — Assassin of Gor, page 32.

Scribes, Caste of
Second of the five High Castes; please refer to the Caste page for further information.

"In taking companionship with one of the Warriors she would raise caste, for the Warriors on Gor are among the high castes, of which there are five, the Initiates, Scribes, Physicians, Builders and Warriors." — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 113-114.

Scroll Bin
Place where scrolls are stored.

"She sprang up and returned to the office of Caprus, who was closing the top of the desk before which he stood. She replaced the scrolls in the pigeonholes of a scroll bin and Caprus slid the cover over the bin and locked it, and then with a word to him, she lightly ran past us and disappeared down the hall." — Assassin of Gor, pages 119-120.

Scytale
A ribbon which usually wrapped around a cylindrical object, a message then written upon it, so that as the ribbon is unwound, the message becomes obliterated.

Etymology: Latin scytale, scytala, scutula, from Greek skytale staff, cylinder, message;
       "1: a method of cipher writing used especially by the Spartans in which a narrow strip of parchment was wound on a rod and the message written across the adjoining edges;
       2a: a message written in the scytale cipher; b: a parchment bearing such a message." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

The first recorded use of cryptography for correspondence was by the Spartans, who as early as 400 BC employed a cipher device called the scytale for secret communication between military commanders. The scytale consisted of a tapered baton, around which was spirally wrapped a strip of parchment or leather on which the message was then written. When unwrapped, the letters were scrambled in order and formed the cipher; however, when the strip was wrapped around another baton of identical proportions to the original, the plaintext reappeared. Thus, the Greeks were the inventors of the first transposition cipher. During the 4th century BC, Aeneas Tacticus wrote a work entitled On the Defense of Fortifications, one chapter of which was devoted to cryptography, making it the earliest treatise on the subject. — Encyclopaedia Britannica ©2006

"Give me the ribbon," said Samos.
       "It is, of course, a scytale," I said.
       "Yes," said Samos, "and the message is in clear Gorean."
       He had told me what the message was, and we had discussed it earlier. I was curious, however, to see it wrapped about the shaft of the spear. Originally, in its preparation, the message ribbon is wrapped diagonally, neatly, edges touching, about a cylinder, such as the staff of a marshal's office, the shaft of a spear, a previously prepared object, or so on, and then the message is written in lines parallel with the cylinder. The message, easily printed, easily read, thus lies across several of the divisions in the wrapped silk. When the silk is unwrapped, of course, the message disappears into a welter of scattered lines, the bits and parts of letters; the coherent message is replaced with a ribbon marked only by meaningless, unintelligible scraps of letters; to read the message, of course, one need only rewrap the ribbon about a cylindrical object of the same dimension as the original object. The message then appears in its clear, legible character. Whereas there is some security in the necessity for rewrapping the message about a cylinder of the original dimension, the primary security does not lie there. After all, once one recognizes a ribbon, or belt, or strip of cloth, as a scytale, it is then only a matter of time until one finds a suitable object to facilitate the acquisition of the message. Indeed, one may use a roll of paper or parchment until, rolling it more tightly or more loosely, as needed, one discovers the message. The security of the message, as is often the case, is a function not of the opacity of the message, in itself, but rather in its concealment, in its not being recognized as a message. A casual individual would never expect that the seemingly incoherent design on a girl's ribbon would conceal a message which might be significant, or fateful. — Beasts of Gor, pages 23-24.

Se
Second.

"… En'Var and Se'Var, or The First Resting and The Second Resting." — Outlaw of Gor, page 178.

Sea Sleen
See: "Sleen."

Sea-Tharlarion
Marine lizard; various species range from small to quite large.

"…it has three or four slender spines in its dorsal fin, which are poisonous; it is capable of hurling itself from the water and, for brief distances, on its stiff pectoral fins, gliding through the air, usually to evade the smaller sea-tharlarions, which seem to be immune to the poison of the spines." — Nomads of Gor, page 84.

Season Of Little Grass
To the wagon peoples, this term refers to the spring season, so named for the small sprouts of the new grass after the winter season.

"…the Omen Year, or season, lasts several months, and consists of three phases, called the Passing of Turia, which takes place in the fall; the Wintering, which takes place north of Turia and commonly south of the Cartius, the equator of course lying to the north in this hemisphere; and the Return to Turia, in the spring, or, as the Wagon Peoples say, in the Season of Little Grass." — Nomads of Gor, pages 11-12.

Season Of Snows
To the wagon peoples, this term refers to the winter season. It is also by which the wagon peoples calculate year to year.

"… the Wagon Peoples calculate the year from the Season of Snows to the Season of Snows." — Nomads of Gor, page 11.

Seaweed
In times of hunger, men of the seas often chew on these plants of the sea. Some seaweeds are poisonous to man.

"There is often not enough food under any conditions, particularly in northern Torvaldsland, and famine is not known. In such cases men feed on bark, and lichens and seaweed." — Marauders of Gor, page 55.

Second
This is in reference to being Second in command, such as to a Ubar, Administrator or Tatrix.

"Does the law of Tharna not give it the right to speak, Dorna the Proud, Second in Tharna?' asked the Tatrix… — Outlaw of Gor, page 91.

Second Killing [of the Assassin]
The second killing of an Assassin is the killing of retribution.

"May I ask, Killer," asked Portus, "if you come to make the first killing — or the second?"
       "The second," said Kuurus. …
       "I come to avenge," said Kuurus. — Assassin of Gor, pages 17-18.

Second Knowledge
The education taught to the five High Castes; basically it is the truth of all matters.

"… the Second Knowledge, that of the intellectuals…" — Tarnsman of Gor, page 41.

"Earth origin, incidentally, was not a part of the First Knowledge, though it was of the Second." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 45.

Second Slave
Term in reference to the serving of black wine.

Second Wine
1. The drink that counteracts the reproduction-halting slave wine; also known as breeding wine. See: "Breeding Wine."
2. Refers to the sexual service of a slave girl to the Master.

He untied her wrists. "Serve me wine, Slave," he said. She lifted the vessel of wine I had earlier brought and filled the goblet.
       "No," I whispered to her, and then instructed her how to serve him.
       "Wine, Master?" she asked.
       "Yes, Slave," he said. Then she knelt before him, back on her heels, head down, lifting the goblet to him, proffering it to the master with both hands. He took the goblet from her and, regarding her, drank. I could see he was well pleased with his new acquisition, the lovely beauty, Elicia. "Now," said he, "you will serve me the second wine."
       Elicia turned to me, frightened. She knew the second wine which was commanded of her. It was the wine of her slavery. — Slave Girl of Gor, page 405.

Sedan Chair
A portable covered chair that is carried, borne on poles, usually by slaves.

"The Sedan, also called Sedan Chair, portable, is an enclosed chair mounted on horizontally placed parallel poles and carried by men or animals. In Italy, France, and England, in the 17th and 18th centuries, sedans became highly luxurious and were often elaborately carved and upholstered and painted with mythological scenes or heraldic devices. In England, in 1634, Sir Sanders Duncombe received a royal patent to be the sole supplier of rental, or hackney, sedans for 14 years, a reward for having imported the sedan chair, probably from Naples. Sedan chairs were welcomed in England as a relief from the swarm of coaches then clogging London streets. In colonial America sedan chairs were used by the wealthy, mostly in New York City and Philadelphia. Benjamin Franklin still was using sedans in 1789." — Encyclopaedia Britannica ©2004-2006

Etymology: origin unknown; Date: 1635.
       "A portable often covered chair that is designed to carry one person and that is borne on poles by two men." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"My own duties during these months in the House of Cernus remained light, consisting of little more than accompanying Cernus on infrequent occasions on which he left the house, a member of his guard; in the city Cernus traveled in a sedan chair, borne on the shoulders of eight men. The chair was enclosed and, under the blue and yellow silk which covered it, there was metal plating." — Assassin of Gor, page 205.

Sedge
A plant found along rivers and marshes. Papyrus (rence) is a form of sedge. Sedge meadows are the result of flooding. They are most easily found in early spring. Areas that are low-lying and flat near rivers and streams will accumulate with a few inches of water. The rest of the year, sedge meadows rarely have standing water. Sedge meadows are most successful when the soil remains saturated most of the time. This allows for the abundant growth of a kind of grass called a sedge. The Egyptians used a special kind of sedge called papyrus to make paper. The soil in sedge meadow is formed from the decomposition of sedges like the Carex stricta. When a sedge grows it forms a symmetrical lump or hummock in the water. The soil between the tussocks of Carex stricta is peat that was created by the decay of the underground roots and stems of this plant. When peat dries out, it burns easily. As a matter of fact, peat is used in some countries as a form of fuel. Fires are a natural occurrence in a sedge meadow. In years of drought, fires will clean out the sedge meadow of invading woody plants. Pictured: Sedge (Carex vesicaria).

Etymology: Middle English segge, from Old English secg; akin to Middle High German segge sedge, Old English sagu, sage saw;
       1a: a plant of the family Cyperaceae and especially of the genus Carex;
       1b: Sweet Flag; c: Yellow Iris." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"It was late in the afternoon, the fourteenth Gorean Ahn I would have guessed. Some swarms of insects hung in the sedge here and there but I had not been much bothered: it was late in the year, and most of the Gorean insects likely to make life miserable for men bred in, and frequented, areas in which bodies of unmoving, fresh water were plentiful." — Raiders of Gor, page 5.

Seduction Slave
The male counterpart of the Lure Girl; a male slave used to seduce unsuspecting free women to engage intimately with them, thus making the woman a slave under the couching law. See also: "Couching Law" and "Lure Girl."

Se'Kara
Literal meaning "Second Turning." Commonly, the seventh (7th) month of the Gorean year.

"… but usually simply Se'Kara, the Second Kara, or the Second Turning." — Outlaw of Gor, page 178.

"Month names differ, unfortunately, from city to city, but, among the civilized cities, there are four months, associated with the equinoxes and solstices, and the great fairs at the Sardar, which do have common names, the months of En'Kara, or En'Kara-Lar-Torvis; En'Var, or En'var-Lar-Torvis; Se'Kara, or Se'Kara-Lar-Torvis; and Se'Var, or Se'Var-Lar-Torvis." — Assassin of Gor, pages 78-79.

Se'Kara-Lar-Torvis
Commonly, this is the full expression for the seventh (7) month of the Gorean year. See: "Se'Kara."

"The month of the autumnal equinox is called fully Se'Kara-Lar-Torvis…" — Outlaw of Gor, page 178.

"Month names differ, unfortunately, from city to city, but, among the civilized cities, there are four months, associated with the equinoxes and solstices, and the great fairs at the Sardar, which do have common names, the months of En'Kara, or En'Kara-Lar-Torvis; En'Var, or En'var-Lar-Torvis; Se'Kara, or Se'Kara-Lar-Torvis; and Se'Var, or Se'Var-Lar-Torvis." — Assassin of Gor, pages 78-79.

Selling Chain
In reference to slave girl display chain. See: "Display Chain."

Selnar [City]
One of the four major cities on the island of Cos.

Selnar [Month]
The third month of the Gorean calendar as it is called in Ko-ro-ba. See: "Camerius."

Semnium
Literally meaning "meeting place." The word used for a building or hall for the meeting of councils or other high officials.

"… near the Semnium, the hall of high council …" — Mercenaries of Gor, page 108.

" We were at the foot of the low, broad steps of the Semnium, the hall of the high council…" — Mercenaries of Gor, page 140.

"This word, incidentally, is, in effect, the same word as 'Semnium", although in the western coastal dialects it is commonly pronounced as I have given the spelling here, Its original meaning is apparently 'Meeting Place,' and its application to a building, or a hall for the meeting of councils, is, it seems, a later developement." — Mercenaries of Gor, page 201.

Seraglio
Harem rooms.

Etymology: Italian serraglio, modification of Turkish saray palace; Date: 1581
       "1: Harem; 2: a palace of a sultan" — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

Arabic harim in Muslim countries, the part of a house set apart for the women of the family. The word harimi is used collectively to refer to the women themselves. Zanana (from the Persian word zan, "woman") is the term used for the harem in India, andarun (Persian: "inner part" [of a house]) in Iran.
       Although usually associated in Western thought with Muslim practices, harems are known to have existed in the pre-Islamic civilizations of the Middle East; there the harem served as the secure, private quarters of women who nonetheless played various roles in public life. Muhammad did not originate the idea of the harem or of the seclusion and veiling of women, but he sponsored them, and, wherever Islam spread, these institutions went with it. The virtual removal of women from public life was more typical of the Islamic harem than of its predecessors, although in many periods of Islamic history women in the harem exercised various degrees of political power.
       In pre-Islamic Assyria, Persia, and Egypt, most of the royal courts included a harem, consisting of the ruler's wives and concubines, their female attendants, and eunuchs. These royal harems performed important political, as well as social, roles. Rulers often added wives to their harems as a means of cementing political alliances. As wives attempted to maneuver themselves and their sons into positions of power, the harem became an arena in which rival factions fought for ascendancy at the court. Since these women were usually from influential and powerful families, harem intrigues frequently had wide-ranging repercussions, including, in some cases, the downfall of dynasties.
       Large harems were common in the wealthy households in Arab countries through the early decades of the 20th century. In the wealthier houses, each wife had her own set of rooms and servants; women in less affluent households had smaller quarters and less privacy, but even the poorest Arab household provided separate living quarters for men and women. By the second half of the 20th century, the full harem system existed only among the more conservative elements of Arab society.
       In imperial Turkey the sultan had an elaborately organized harem, or seraglio (from Italian serraglio, "enclosure"), with disciplinary and administrative officers, overseen by the sultan's mother, the vâlide sultan. After 1926, when the Turkish republic made polygamy illegal, the seclusion of women became less popular. — Encyclopaedia Britannica ©2004-2006

"I rolled about, on my back, splashing in the water. It was quite pleasant. The temperature of the water, perhaps, was a bit warm. Also, it was perfumed. Yet I did not mind. It had been weeks since I had had a bath. I was appreciative of this hospitality in the male seraglio of the kasbah of Tarna, bandit chieftain of the Tahari." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 188.

"I looked about at the seraglio. It was lovely. There were high separated, decorated columns, many arches, much carving, rich hangings, much tile, floors marbled and mosaiced, too. It was lofty, spacious, beautiful. I regretted I did not have more time to spend here." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 194.

Seraglio Mistress
First girl of a male seraglio; she is responsible for the daily activities and discipline of the male slaves.

Weeping, furious, Lana applied the towel to my body. "Oh!" she cried. For I then had her in my arms. I reached behind her body. She put her head back. "No!" she cried. "Are you mad? I am your seraglio mistress! No!" The garment, hooks broken, fell to her ankles. — Tribesmen of Gor, page 194.

Sereem Diamonds
Valuable gemstone of Gor.

"Before Suleiman, now, there lay five stones, three sereem diamonds, red, sparkling, white flecked, and two opals, one a common sort, milky in color, and the other an unusual flame opal, reddish and blue. Opals are not particularly valuable stones on Earth, but they are much rarer on Gor; these were excellent specimens, cut and polished into luminescent ovoids, still, of course, they did not have the value of the diamonds." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 92.

Serve [my] Pleasure
In one of the ways a master shows his dominance over a slave, is by having the slave girl serve him sexually, either by force or willingly.

The daughter of the Ubar feared that I would force her to serve my pleasure… forced me to recognize that selfishly I was about to injure or dominate… "I do not intend to force you to serve my pleasure," I said. — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 98-99.

"… And when I could dance no more he took me in his arms and like a beast forced me to serve his pleasure." — Outlaw of Gor, page 200.

Servery
Never is this word used in any of the books of Gor. What is used in the books are such terms as Kitchen, Commissary Wagon, Public Eating Tents and Tables, Public Wagons, and, Restaurants.

"I would stay in one of the public tents tonight. For five copper tarsks one may rent furs and a place in the tent. It is expensive, but it is, after all, En'Kara and the time of the fair. In such tents it is not unusual for peasants to lie crowded, side by side, with captains and merchants. During En'Kara, at the Fair, many of the distinctions among men and castes are forgotten. Unfortunately meals are not served in the tents. For the price it seems one should banquet. This lack, however, is supplied by numerous public kitchens and tables. These are scattered throughout the district of the fair. Also there are vendors." — Beasts of Gor, pages 50-51.

"In the restaurant I had eaten there were some two hundred tables, under tenting." — Beasts of Gor, page 61.

"… among the wagons by the masters of the public slave wagons, who buy, sell and rent girls, providing warriors and slavers with a sort of clearing house and market for their feminine merchandise. The public slave wagons, incidentally, also provide Paga. They are a kind of combination Paga tavern and slave market. I know of nothing else precisely like them on Gor." — Nomads of Gor, page 118.

Serving Bracelets
Slave bracelets which are attached to two lengths of chain, worn by a slave girl in paga taverns.

"The chains which she had worn while serving paga, and when she had asked for my protection, had been removed, doubtless while she had been in the alcove, sometime after I had left the tavern, that she might have better rendered Surbus, Captain of Port Kar, the dues of the slave girl. They had been serving bracelets, with two lengths of chain, each about a foot long, which linked them." — Raiders of Gor, page 123.

Se'Var
Literal meaning "The Second Resting." Commonly, this is the tenth (10th) month of the Gorean year; the beginning of Winter.

"These, however, like the other expressions, usually occur in speech only as En'Var and Se'Var, or the First Resting and the Second Resting." — Outlaw of Gor, page 178.

"Month names differ, unfortunately, from city to city, but, among the civilized cities, there are four months, associated with the equinoxes and solstices, and the great fairs at the Sardar, which do have common names, the months of En'Kara, or En'Kara-Lar-Torvis; En'Var, or En'var-Lar-Torvis; Se'Kara, or Se'Kara-Lar-Torvis; and Se'Var, or Se'Var-Lar-Torvis." — Assassin of Gor, pages 78-79.

Se'Var-Lar-Torvis
Commonly, this is the full expression for the seventh (7th) month of the Gorean year; the beginning of Winter. See: "Se'Var."

"As might be expected there are related expressions for the months of the solstices, En'Var-Lar-Torvis and Se'Var-Lar-Torvis, or again, quite literally, the First Resting and the Second Resting of the Central Fire." — Outlaw of Gor, page 178.

"Month names differ, unfortunately, from city to city, but, among the civilized cities, there are four months, associated with the equinoxes and solstices, and the great fairs at the Sardar, which do have common names, the months of En'Kara, or En'Kara-Lar-Torvis; En'Var, or En'var-Lar-Torvis; Se'Kara, or Se'Kara-Lar-Torvis; and Se'Var, or Se'Var-Lar-Torvis." — Assassin of Gor, pages 78-79.

Sharing Dirt and Grass
Amongst the Wagon Peoples, this is a ritualistic custom of brotherhood.

Suddenly the Tuchuk bent to the soil and picked up a handful of dirt and grass, the land on which the bosk graze, the land which is the land of the Tuchuks, and this dirt and this grass he thrust in my hands and I held it. The warrior grinned and put his hands over mine so that our hands together held the dirt and the grass, and were together clasped on it. "Yes," said the warrior, "come in peace to the Land of the Wagon Peoples." — Nomads of Gor, page 26.

Share My Kettle
The invitation to dinner expressed by a member of a lower caste.

"Then, Warrior," said the man, issuing Gor's blunt invitation to a low caste dinner, "share my kettle." — Outlaw of Gor, page 29.

Sharpened Stakes
Sharpened stakes, generally of wood, that are stragetically placed as booby-traps during a war.

"Between the ditch and the walls of the city, under the cover of darkness, thousands of sharpened stakes had been set, inclined towards the walls. I knew that the worst of such devices would be invisible. Indeed, several of the spaces between the stakes were probably occupied by covered pits, more sharpened stakes being fixed in the bottom." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 163.

She-Bosk
A derogatory term in reference to a woman, either free or slave.

"Poor little Dina," said Thurnus, looking down at me, as the ropes were removed from my small limbs. "You make a very poor she-bosk," he said. — Slave Girl of Gor, page 204.

She-Kaiila
A derogatory term in reference to a woman, either free or slave.

"I, Hereena of the First Wagon, am superior," she was crying, "to those two Kassar she-kaiila!" — Nomads of Gor, page 121.

She-Larl
A derogatory term in reference to a woman, either free or slave.

"I gathered her in my arms and she fought like a she-larl, screaming. I wanted to convince her that there was no danger, that her fears were groundless. Her fingernails clawed across my face." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 36.

She-Panthers
Derogatory name used in reference to the panther girls of the northern forests.

"The tabuk he expects to net," I said, "are not unlikely panthers, she-panthers, following him, intent upon their own hunt." — Hunters of Gor, page 78.

She-Sleen
A derogatory term in reference to a woman, either free or slave. In retaliation, a female using the same derogatory term would drop the word "she" and call the man simply "Sleen." Possible the term derived from observers of the mating rituals of sleen.

"She screamed like a she-sleen," he said, "but she is quiet now." — Beasts of Gor, page 137.

"She-sleen!" screamed Hura." I will tear out your eyes! I will cut your throat! She-sleen! She-sleen!" — Hunters of Gor, page 272.

"Sleen! Sleen!" cursed the girl … I could not help but regard the angry, collared Hereena, furious in the swirling Pleasure Silk. — Nomads of Gor, page 222.

"The mating of sleen is interesting … It is a very fierce and marvelous spectacle. It is not unusual for slave girls, seeing this, to kneel at their master's feet and beg their caress… Sometimes slave girls are called she-sleen, but I do not think this expression is completely apt. Sexual congress in the human is not confined to a particular season. We are not she-sleen. The heat of the she-sleen occurs in the spring. We are slave girls. Our masters keep us in heat constantly." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 186.

"You made me fetch a kaiila crop," she said, "on my hands and knees, and in my mouth, as though I might be a she-sleen." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 199.

She-Sleen [Position]
Possibly, this position for raping a slave girl was created by observers of the mating of sleens. Or perhaps the quote below is yet another reason for online Gor referring to the position as she-sleen:

"You made me fetch a kaiila crop," she said, "on my hands and knees, and in my mouth, as though I might be a she-sleen." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 199.

She-Tarsk
A derogatory term in reference to a woman, either free or slave. In retaliation, a female using the same derogatory term would drop the word "she" and call the man simply "Tarsk."

"I do not wish to be presented to a tarsk of Port Kar," hissed the girl. — Raiders of Gor, page 176.

"Look at her," said the man beside me." How ugly she is, what a she-tarsk." — Explorers of Gor, page 37.

She-Tharlarion
A derogatory term in reference to a woman, either free or slave. In retaliation, a female using the same derogatory term would drop the word "she" and call the man "He-Tharlarion" or simply "Tharlarion."

"Great Mintar," I spoke up, "forgive this she-tharlarion. Her father was a goat keeper by the swamp forests of Ar, and I did steal her, but she begged me to take her from the village.. As soon as we left the village, I put the bracelets on her and am taking her to Bristol, where she will tend my goats." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 122.

"Let the Priest-Kings blast me if she didn't do it," said Kazrak with admiration, "A true she-tharlarion…" — Tarnsman of Gor, page 124.

"Very well, he-tharlarion," said the girl, "your bola against a kiss." — Nomads of Gor, page 75.

"Tharlarion!" he shouted at the men of Port Kar. — Raiders of Gor, page 53.

A smile broke out on the Physician's face. "You're right," he said, "no one could do anything with such barbarians. They could not be trained by anyone, except perhaps Tethrite of the House of Portus."
       "I had forgotten about her," said Ho-Tu.
       "Tethrite is an ignorant she-tharlarion," said Sura irritably. — Assassin of Gor, page 152.

She-Urt
A derogatory term in reference to a woman, either free or slave. In retaliation, a female using the same derogatory term would drop the word "she" and call the man simply "Urt."

The girl fixed her eyes on Targo." You fat, filthy urt!" she hissed. — Outlaw of Gor, page 193.

She-Urts [of the Wharves]
A phrase denoting the homeless free girls who live near the canals in port cities, surviving by scavenging, begging, stealing, and sleeping with paga attendants; they sleep wherever they find space, and usually wear a brief tunic instead of Robes of Concealment; named after the canal urts which plague the port cities.

"Ahead, some yards, was a girl dark-haired, lying on her belly on the walkway, reaching with her hand down to the canal, to fish out edible garbage. She was barefoot, and wore a brief, brown rag. I did not think she was a slave. Some free girls, runaways, vagabonds, girls of no family or position, live about port cities, scavenging as they can, begging, stealing, sleeping at night in crates and under bridges and piers. They are called the she-urts of the wharves. Every once in a while there is a move to have them rounded up and collared but it seldom comes to anything." — Explorers of Gor, page 47.

Suddenly her wrist was seized by the girl, a tall, lovely girl, some four inches taller than she, in a brief white rag, who stood with her at the basket." Who are you?" demanded the girl in the white rag. "You are not one with us." She took the pear from her, with the verr cheese in it." You have not laid with the paga attendants for your garbage," she said." Get out!" Any woman, even a free woman, if she is hungry enough, will do anything. The paga attendants knew this. — Explorers of Gor, page 62.

Sheaf Arrows
A heavy arrow, used in battle, which provides greater penetration. Sheaf arrows of medieval times were designed to pierce armor. An example of this in the Gorean world is the sheaf arrow used in conjunction with the barbed arrowhead favored by the Tuchuks. When used by longbowmen, the sheaf arrows are used only when close range combat is called for. See also: "Flight Arrow", "Hunting Arrow," "Simple-Pile Arrow," "Tuchuk Barbed-Arrow", and "War Arrow."

"I had the Gorean short sword in its scabbard, my shield and helmet, and, wrapped in leather, a Gorean long bow of supple Ka-la-na wood, from the yellow wine trees of Gor, tipped with notched bosk horn at each end, loose strung with help and whipped with silk, and a roll of sheaf and flight arrows." — Raiders of Gor, pages 2-3.

Shearing Blades
Blades of steel, which are placed on each side of a ship; used in the destruction of enemy ships. See also: "Oar Shearing."

"Since the principal weapons of the ram-ship are the ram and shearing blades, she is most dangerous taken head on." — Raiders of Gor, page 203.

Shelter Trench
Utilized by nomads of the Tahari desert, these four to five feet (4'-5') deep trenches are dug in order to escape the tremendous heat of the sands adn the hot rays of the sun.

"A shelter trench is a narrow trench some four or five feet deep and about eighteen inches wide. The sand, struck by the sun, can reach temperatures on its surface of more than 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Set on rocks, boards of metal some two feet in length, and six inches wide, exposed to the sun, are sometimes used by the nomad women in frying foods. Only a foot or two below the surface, these temperatures are reduced by more than fifty degrees. The trench provides, most importantly, shade from the sun. The air temperature is seldom more than 140 degrees in the shade, even in the dune country. The trench, of course, is always dug with its long axis perpendicular to the path of the sun, that it provide the maximum shade for the longest period of time." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 21.

Shield Ring
Another name in reference to the light diversion device rings or invisibility rings. See also: "Invisibility Ring."

"He is gone," said Msaliti." That is the ring from the chain on his neck, where he carried the shield ring."
       "It is not the shield ring," I said, miserably. — Explorers of Gor, page 213.

• Shield Roof
Also: Shield Shed
Similar to the formation known on Earth as the testudo, or, "tortoise," this formation is a defensive measure of ground forces from aerial attacks.

"Most impressive to me, perhaps, was Dietrich of Tarnburg's coordination of air and ground forces, and his transposition of certain techniques and weapons of siege warfare to the field. The common military response to aerial attack from tarnsmen is the 'shield roof' or 'shield shed,' a formation the same as, or quite similar to, a formation once known on Earth as the testudo, or 'tortoise.'" — Mercenaries of Gor, pages 31-33.

• Shield Shed
See: Shield Roof.

Ship Bow
A short, stout bow, making its use maneuverable even in close quarters, with a rapid rate of fire. The ship bow excels above the peasant bow (long bow) in impact, range and accuracy.

"The bows were put to their feet. They were short, ship bows, stout and manoeuvrable, easy to use n crowded quarters, easy to fire across the bulwarks of galleys locked in combat. I had seen only such bows in the holding of Policrates. Their rate of fire, of course, is much superior to that of the crossbow, either of the drawn or windlass variety. All things considered, the ship bow is an ideal missile weapon for close-range naval combat. It is superior in this respect even to the peasant bow, or long bow, which excels it in impact, range and accuracy." — Rogue of Gor, pages 307-308.

Ship Dance
A dance depicting the movements of a ship.

Ship Flags
Flags placed on a ship to identify the owner/captain of the ship.

"Can you make out their flag?" he cried. — Raiders of Gor, page 185.

"I had flown the flag of Bosk, from the marshes, boldly trusting that this incitement would encourage prompt and fierce pursuit." — Raiders of Gor, page 199.

Ship Lice
See: "Lice."

Ship Loyalty
A mode of discipline of the Kur.

"Humans and the Others have much in common," said Misk. "Both depend much on vision; they can breathe the same atmospheres; they have similar circulatory systems; both are vertebrates; both have not unlike prehensile appendages; further," and here Misk's antennae curled, "both are aggressive, competitive, selfish, cunning, greedy and cruel." — Assassin of Gor, page 67.
       "I do, however," said Misk, "count the human, for all his faults, superior to those whom you call the Others."
       "Why is that?" I asked.
       "He commonly has an inhibition against killing," said Misk, "and moreover he has, infrequently it may be, the capacities for loyalty and community and love."
       "Surely the Others have these things, too," I said.
       "There is little evidence of that," said Misk, "though they do have Ship Loyalty, for their artificial mode of existence requires responsibility and discipline. We have noted that among the Others who have been settled on Gor there has been, once out of the ship, a degeneration of interrelated roles, resulting in anarchy until the institution of authority resting on superior strength and fear." Misk looked down at me. "Even in the ships," he said, "killing is not discouraged except under conditions of battle or when the functioning of the vessel might be impaired." — Assassin of Gor, page 67.

Ship's Eyes
It is a belief amongst the mariners that ships are alive, and therefore, has eyes painted on to enable the ships to see their way through the waters.

"The painting of the eyes reflects the Gorean seaman's belief that the ship is a living thing. She is accordingly given eyes, that she may see her way."   — Raiders of Gor, page 183.

Shipping Collar
This is collar worn by slaves when being shipped as cargo.

Shipwright
Carpenter skilled at building ships.

Date: before 12th century;
       "A carpenter skilled in ship construction and repair." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

The next item on the agenda dealt with the demand of the pulley-makers to receive the same wage per Ahn as the oar-makers. I voted for this measure, but it did not pass. A Captain next to me snorted, "Give the pulley-makers the wage of oar-makers, and sawyers will want the wages of carpenters, and carpenters of shipwrights!" — Raiders of Gor, page 134.

Shorthand
A method of writing quickly, often replacing words with shapes or symbols. A common practice on Earth of secretaries. Tarl Cabot spied slave girls scribbling quickly, deducing there must be some form of shorthand used on Gor as well.

"Passing clown a corridor, trailing after Ho-Tu, we stopped briefly to peer into a large room. In this room I saw two slave girls, clad in yellow livery with yellow collars, as Elizabeth normally was, kneeling opposite one another. One girl was dictating from a piece of record paper held in her hand and the other girl was copying it rapidly on a second piece of record paper. The speed with which this was done informed me that some form of shorthand must be being used." — Assassin of Gor, page 113.

Short Sword
See: "Gorean Short Sword."

Shu
One of the 28 letters of the Gorean alphabet. As it's character is depicted as a sign, it is most probably of Oriental origin.

"The Gorean alphabet has twenty-eight characters, all of which, I suspect, owe their origin to one or another of the alphabets of Earth… 'Shu' is represented by a sign which seems clearly oriental in origin…" — Explorers of Gor, page 9.

Siba
One of the Vosk River townships.

"West of Ar's Station on the river I had visited Jort's Ferry, Point Alfred, Jasmine, Siba, Sais, and Sulport." — Rogue of Gor, page 63.

Side-Block Girl
This derogatory term refers to a slavegirl sold for a fixed price from the side block of a slave auction house, instead of auctioned from the main block.

Sidge
One of the 28 letters of the Gorean alphabet; possibly cuneiform.

"The Gorean alphabet has twenty-eight characters, all of which, I suspect, owe their origin to one or another of the alphabets of Earth… 'Sidge', on the other hand, could be cuneiform…" — Explorers of Gor, page 9.

Siege Engineer
One who is skilled at developing and planning large attacks against another city.

"Within the city the Initiates, who had seized control shortly after the flight of Marlenus, would have already tapped the siege reservoirs and begun to ration the stores of the huge grain cylinders. A city such as Ar, properly commanded, might withstand a siege for a generation. Beyond the walls were Pa-Kur's lines of investment, set forth with all the skill of Gor's most experienced siege engineers." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 163.

Siege Engines
Any of a number of mechanisms used by military units. Light engines would include catapults and ballistae.

"On the tenth day of the siege small engines, such as covered catapults and ballistae, were flown across the ditches by tarn teams and soon were engaged in artillery duels with the engines mounted on the walls of Ar." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 177-178.

Siege Poles
Poles which are similar to ladders, used to climb the walls of keeps.

Siege Reservoirs
Reservoirs of fresh water to be used in the event of a siege.

"Within the city the Initiates, who had seized control shortly after the flight of Marlenus, would have already tapped the siege reservoirs and begun to ration the stores of the huge grain cylinders." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 163.

Siege Slave
Male slaves that were used by military armies in digging ditches and in attacks.

"Within the towers, sweating, naked siege slaves, under the frenzied whips of their overseers, hauled on the great chains that swung the mighty steel rams into the wall and back." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 178.

"Some hundreds of yards from the wall, just beyond crossbow range, a gigantic ditch was being dug by thousands of siege slaves and prisoners. When completed, it would be fifty or sixty feet wide, and seventy or eighty feet deep. In back of the ditch slaves were piling up the earth which had been removed from the ditch, packing and hardening it into a rampart." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 163.

Siege Tower
Towers built on movable platforms, used by military units to breach the walls of a city.

For breaching fortified positions, military engineers of the classical age designed assault towers that remain a wonder to modern engineers. So large was one siege tower used by Macedonians in an attack on Rhodes that 3,400 men were required to move it up to the city walls. Another 1,000 men were needed to wield a battering ram 180 feet (55 metres) long. The Romans constructed huge siege towers, one of which Caesar mentions as being 150 feet high. The lower stories housed the battering ram, which had either a pointed head for breaching or a ramlike head for battering. Archers in the upper stories shot arrows to drive the defenders from their ramparts. From the top of the tower, a hinged bridge might be lowered to serve a storming party. To guard the attackers against enemy missiles, the Romans used great wicker or wooden shields, called mantelets, which were sometimes mounted on wheels. In some cases the attackers might approach the fortress under the protection of wooden galleries. — Encyclopaedia Britannica ©2006.

"It began several hours before dawn, as the giant siege towers, covered now with plates of steel to counter the effect of fire arrows and burning tar, were slowly rolled across the ditch bridges." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 178.

"Here and there among the tents siege towers were being constructed. Nine towers were in evidence. It was unthinkable that they should top the walls of Ar, but with their battering rams they would attempt to break through at the lower levels. Tarnsmen would make the attack at the summit of the walls. When it came time for Pa-Kur to attack, bridges would be constructed over the ditches. Over these bridges the siege towers would be rolled to the walls of Ar; over them his tharlarion cavalry would march; over them his horde would flow." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 164.

Sign Language
Also referred to as "Hand Talk" and "Hand Sign." Method of communication by way of hand gestures; used by the red savages of the Barrens.

"A method of communicating by means of systematic conventionalized chiefly manual gestures used by the deaf or by people speaking different languages, i.e., sign language of the American Plains Indians; Dactylology." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"He speaks some Dust Leg, and some of the talk of other tribes," said the fellow. "Too, he knows sign."
       "Sign?" I asked.
       "Hand talk," said the young man. "It is the way the red savages of different tribes communicate among one another. They cannot speak one another's languages, you know."
       "I would suppose not," I admitted. Hand sign, I suspected, was the key to the capacity of the tribes to unite and protect their territories against outside encroachment, that and what they called the Memory.
       "Various traders, I suspect, know Hand Sign," I said. — Savages of Gor, page 80.

"Mostly" I said, "you spoke to Corn Stalks in sign."
       "Yes," he said. "It is easier for us." He looked at me. "To learn sign," he said, "would probably be more useful to use, all things considered, than learning a smattering of Dust Leg."
       "Teach me sign," I said.
       "To be sure," he said, "it would be wise for you to learn some Dust Leg or Kaiila. There is no substitute for being able to converse with these people in their own language. Sign, as far as I know, is common to all the tribes of the Barrens." — Savages of Gor, page 241.
       "I can teach you hundreds of signs in a short time," said Grunt. "It is a very limited language, but in most situations it is quite adequate, and, because many of the signs seem so appropriate and natural, it can be easily learned. In four or five days you can learn most of what you would need of sign." — Savages of Gor, pages 241-242.

Signal Bar
Similar to the larger alarm bars, these are used in large homes or compounds as a means of signifying events in a day, such as lunch, dinner, etc., or the hours of the day.

At that moment a bar, struck in a certain pattern by an iron hammer somewhere in the house, rang out, the sound taken up by other bars, also struck, on various floors of the House of Cernus. The day, I had discovered, was divided by such signals. There is method in the house of a slaver. Ho-Tu smiled." Cernus," said he, "requests your presence at table." — Assassin of Gor, page 85.

Signature Knot
A knot unique to each person. These knots serve more as a means of alerting the owner of a compartment (room, house, et al) as to whether or not his or her home has been violated. See also "Complex Knot."

"Observe," I said. I then took the two dangling cords and began to tie what must have seemed to her an incredible knot." Actually," I informed her, as I continued to weave the cords together in an ever larger and more complex fashion, "this is only a fifty-seven turn knot. It is, however, my own invention, though I never thought I'd need it. This trick was taught to me by Andreas of Tor, years ago, of the Caste of Singers, for doors in the city of Tor are commonly of this variety. His own knot was a sixty-two turn knot, father's was seventy-one; one of his brothers used a hundred, and four turn knot, which, as I recall, Andreas thought a pretentious."
       "It is always the same knot though," said Elizabeth.
       "Yes," I said, "each man has his own knot, as distinctive as a signature, and each knot is his own secret Only he can tie it, and, more importantly only he knows the reverse turns by which that knot, provided it has been untouched, is untied."
       "Anyone then," said Elizabeth, "could untie the knot."
       "Surely," I said." The problem is to reconstruct the knot after it has been untied."
       "The owner of the compartment," said Elizabeth, "returning to the compartment and untying the knot can tell immediately whether or not it is his own knot."
       "Correct," I said.
       "And thus he knows," said Elizabeth, "whether or not the compartment has been entered in his absence."
       "Yes," I said." Sometimes," I added, "someone enters the compartment and has a confederate on the outside attempt to duplicate the knot, that the man inside may surprise the occupant on his return, but commonly this stratagem is unsuccessful, because of the difficulties of duplicating the knot." Elizabeth then watched in silence while I, trying to recall the intricacies of my signature knot, worked the boskhide cords. At last, with a sigh, I leaned back, finished. — Assassin of Gor, pages 54-55.

"I've got it now," said Elizabeth, who, kneeling before the slave ring, had been practicing my signature knot, using the ring as a post.
       "Good," I said. I myself had been spending some time mastering the knot she had invented, which, I was forced to admit, was suitably ingenious. I examined her knot, which I had tied about the handle of one of the chests near the wall. It is perhaps surprising, but I think there would have been little difficulty telling which knot had been tied by a man and which by a woman; moreover, though this was much subtler, Elizabeth's knot did, in its way, remind me of her. It was intelligent, intricate, rather aesthetically done and, here and there, in little bendings and loopings, playful. In such a small thing as these knots I was again reminded of the central differences in sex and personality that divide human beings, differences expressed in thousands of subtleties, many of which are often overlooked, as in the way a piece of cloth might be folded, a letter formed, a color remembered, a phrase turned. In all things, it seemed to me, we manifest ourselves, each differently.
       "You might check this knot," said Elizabeth. I went over to her knot and she went over to mine, and each began, carefully, movement by movement, to check the other's knot. Elizabeth's knot was a fifty-five turn knot. Mine was fifty-seven. — Assassin of Gor, pages 79-80.

Silk Girl
Term used by Torvaldslanders to denote a slave girl from the southern cities; derogatory.

"Look!" cried Pudding. "A silk girl!" The expression "silk girl" is used, often, among bond-maids of the north, to refer to their counterparts in the south. The expression reflects their belief that such girls are spoiled, excessively pampered, indulged and coddled, sleek pets, who have little to do but adorn themselves with cosmetics and await their masters, cuddled cutely, on plush, scarlet coverlets, fringed with gold. There is some envy in this charge, I think. More literally, the expression tends to be based on the fact that the brief slave tunic of the south, the single garment permitted the female slave, is often silk. — Marauders of Gor, page 144.

Silk Screen
A stencil method of print-making in which a design is imposed on a screen of silk or other fine mesh, with blank areas coated with an impermeable substance; ink is forced through the mesh onto the printing surface. On Gor, Tarl Cabot observed a silk-screen printing process.

"Elsewhere in the room there were some free men, Scribes I gathered though they were stripped to the waist, who were inking, using a silk-screen process, large sheets of layered, glued rag paper. One of them held the sheet up inspecting it, and I saw that it was a bill, which might be pasted against a public building, or on the public boards near the markets. It advertised a sale. Other such sheets, hanging on wires, proclaimed games and tarn races." — Assassin of Gor, page 113.

Silk Slave
The male pleasure slave.

"I knew, of course, what she looked like naked, for I was her silk slave. Free women think as little of concealing their bodies before their silk slaves as the women of Earth would before their pet dogs." — Fighting Slave of Gor, page 181.

Silk Thongs
Used by free women of the Tahari to improve their gait.

"Free women, in the Tahari, incidentally, usually, when out of their houses, also measure their stride. Some fasten their own ankles together with silken thongs." — Tribesmen of Gor, pages 44-45.

Silver of Tharna
A famous tavern.

"These four taverns, if it is of interest, are the Veminium, the Kailiauk, the Slaves of Ar and the Silver of Tharna." — Explorers of Gor, page 42.

Silver Cage
A paga tavern located in Ar. — Slave Girl of Gor, page 291.

Silver Cubes
Export from Tharna.

"There is a little market in simple Laura for the more exquisite goods of Gor. Seldom will one find there… interlocking cubes of silver from Tharna…" — Captive of Gor, page 86.

Silver Masks [Of Tharna]
At one time, the free women of the city of Tharna wore masks to cover their faces from males, rather than veils. These masks were later abolished by the Tatrix, Lara.

"Perhaps I was most startled on the silent streets of Tharna by the free women … instead of the veil common with such robes the features of each were hidden behind a mask of silver. The masks were of identical design, each formed in the semblance of a beautiful, but cold face." — Outlaw of Gor, page 67.

"And add to the golden tarn disks," she had exclaimed, "tarn disks of silver to be formed from the masks of our women, for henceforth in Tharna no woman may wear a mask of either gold or silver, not even though she be Tatrix of Tharna herself!" — Outlaw of Gor, page 247.

Silver Ships
Ships of the Priest-Kings.

"Then hatches opened on the silverish ship and men leaped out. They carried tubes, or wands, of some sort, perhaps weapons. They, like the men of the black ship, wore tunics but these were of some shimmering, purplish material. Their heads were shaved. Some of the men deployed themselves about the ship' others, carrying their weapons, entered. Then, to my horror, a large, golden creature, six-legged, supporting itself on its four long back legs, almost upright, stepped from the ship. It had large eyes, and, I thought, antennae. It moved swiftly, delicately, almost daintily, toward the ship and, bending down, disappeared inside. Some of the men followed it in. In perhaps less than a minute the creature, and the men, emerged from the ship they, together with their fellows, then swiftly re-entered the silverish ship. The hatches slid shut and the ship, almost simultaneously, lifted itself, silently, some hundred feet from the grass." — Captive of Gor, pages 40-41.

Silver Tarn [Disk]
A unit of currency; higher than a copper tarn, lower than a gold tarn.

"She had first been sold for eight silver tarsks to a keeper of one of the public kitchens in a cylinder, a former creditor of her father, who had in mind making a profit on her; she worked in the kitchen for a year as a pot girl, sleeping on straw and chained at night, and then, as her body more adequately developed the contours of womanhood, her master braceleted her and took her to the Capacian Baths where; after some haggling, he received a price of four gold pieces and a silver tarsk; she had begun in one of the vast cement pools as a copper-tarn-disk girl and had, four years later, become a silver-tarsk girl in the Pool of Blue Flowers." — Assassin of Gor, pages 164-165.

Silver-Tarn-Disk-Girl
Bath girl whose price is a silver tarn.

"She had first been sold for eight silver tarsks to a keeper of one of the public kitchens in a cylinder, a former creditor of her father, who had in mind making a profit on her; she worked in the kitchen for a year as a pot girl, sleeping on straw and chained at night, and then, as her body more adequately developed the contours of womanhood, her master braceleted her and took her to the Capacian Baths where; after some haggling, he received a price of four gold pieces and a silver tarsk; she had begun in one of the vast cement pools as a copper-tarn-disk girl and had, four years later, become a silver-tarsk girl in the Pool of Blue Flowers." — Assassin of Gor, pages 164-165.

[The] Silver of Tharna
A paga tavern in Port Kar.

Silver Tube
A high-tech, extremely powerful weapon utilized by the Priest-Kings during the Nest Wars; electrically charged, cylindrical in shape.

"After the death of the Mother, Sarm and those who followed him, most of the Priest-Kings for he was First Born, fled from the chamber to fetch, as it was said, silver tubes. These were charged, cylindrical weapons, manually operated but incorporating principles much like those of the Flame Death Mechanism. Unused, they had lain encased in plastic quivers for a matter of centuries and yet when these quivers were broken open and the weapons seized up by angry Priest-Kings they were as ready for their grim work as they had been when first they were stored away. I think with one such weapon a man might have made himself Ubar of all Gor." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 229.

Sim Plant
A vine-like plant raised in the pasture chambers of the Nest of the Priest-Kings.

"I did not know at the time but Gur is a product originally secreted by large, grey, domesticated, hemispheric arthropods which are, in the morning, taken out to pasture where they feed on special Sim plants, extensive, rambling, tangled vine-like plants with huge, rolling leaves raised under square energy lamps fixed in the ceilings of the broad pasture chambers, and at night are returned to their stable cells where they are milked by Muls." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 214.

Simple-Pile Arrow
An arrow designed to be removed from the victim and allows for greater penetration. A favored arrow for hunting. The shafts are either sheaf (short bow) or flight (long bow). See also: "Hunting Arrow," "Flight Arrow", "Sheaf Arrow," "Tuchuk Barbed-Arrow", and "War Arrow."

"I had used simple-pile arrows, which may be withdrawn from the wound. The simple pile gives greater penetration. " — Raiders of Gor, page 79.

The hunting arrow, incidentally, has a long, tapering point, and this point is firmly fastened to the shaft. This makes it easier to withdraw the arrow from its target." — Savages of Gor, page 40.

Sip Root
A bitter root whose extract is the active ingredient in slavewine.

Sirik
An arrangement of chains used to display a slave girl rather than confine her; one of the most decorative, yet effective, of slave restraints, the sirik is thousands of years old. A sirik is a set of chains which connect the wrists, ankles, and neck. The impact of wearing a sirik cannot be overstated. Every movement of the girl shows her her limits; every shift of position rings musically. A girl in a sirik knows herself owned.

"… both girls wore the Sirik, a light chain favored for female slaves by many Gorean masters; it consists of a Turian-type collar, a loose, rounded circle of steel, to which a light, gleaming chain is attached; should the girl stand, the chain, dangling from her collar, falls to the floor; it is about ten or twelve inches longer than is required to reach from her collar to her ankles; to this chain, at the natural fall of her wrists, is attached a pair of slave bracelets; at the end of the chain there is attached another device, a set of linked ankle rings, which, when closed about her ankles, lifts a portion of the slack chain from the floor; the Sirik is an incredibly graceful thing and designed to enhance the beauty of its wearer; perhaps it should only be added that the slave bracelets and the ankle rings may be removed from the chain and used separately; this also, of course, permits the Sirik to function as a slave leash." — Nomads of Gor, page 42.

Sirik Collar
A close-fitting collar that is used to secure a slave girl; usually a disciplinary method.

Sistrum
A percussion instrument played akin to a rattle.

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin, from Greek seistron, from seiein to shake;
       "An ancient Egyptian percussion instrument consisting of a thin metal frame with numerous metal rods or loops that jingle when shaken; any of various musical instruments played like a rattle." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

Greek Seistron, percussion instrument, a rattle consisting of a wood, metal, or clay frame set loosely with crossbars (often hung with jingles) that sound when the instrument is shaken. A handle is attached to the frame.
       In ancient Egypt, sistrums were either temple-shaped or had a closed-horseshoe shape. The sistrum was used in the cult of the goddess Hathor and later, as Hathor merged with the maternal and life-giving goddess Isis, use of the sistrum spread with the cult of Isis throughout the Roman Empire. Open-topped, U-shaped sistrums existed by 2500 BC in Sumer and have been excavated near Tbilisi, Georgia. Similar sistrums are played today in the liturgy of the Coptic and Ethiopian churches. They also exist in western Africa, among two American Indian tribes, and as the bamboo shark rattle of Malaysia and Melanesia. "Sistrum" sometimes also refers to a bell glockenspiel. — Encyclopaedia Britannica ©2006

"The litany and responses of the congregation were now completed and the initiates, some twenty within the rail, began to sing in archaic Gorean. I could make out little of the wording. There was an accompaniment by sistrums." — Marauders of Gor, page 33.

"And yet still he sat upon his throne, in the gilded temple, amid the incense, the ringing of the sistrum, the singing of boys." — Marauders of Gor, page 36.

Six-Strap
One of the six (6) leather reins used in guiding a tarn. Tarl Cabot was able to teach his tarn to respond to verbal strap commands.

"In the whistling wind, as the need arose, I had called the straps to her, 'One-strap!', 'Six-strap!' and so on, and she would draw the strap." — Outlaw of Gor, page 129.

Skerry
A rocky reef; a rocky isle.

Etymology: of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse skerskerry and to Old Norse ey island;
       "An insular rock or reef (as along the coast of Scotland or Scandinavia) : a rocky isle." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"I could see, against the night sky, the darker shape, but low in the water, of the skerry. Too, against the sky, I could see the tall rune-stone, looking like a needle against the stars, which forms the Torvaldsmark." — Marauders of Gor, page 75.

Skerry of Einar
A rocky isle which holds the Torvaldsmark.

"Five nights from this night," said Ivar Forkbeard," on the skerry of Einar by the rune-stone of the Torvaldsmark." — Marauders of Gor, page 45.

Skerry of Vars
A one-hundred foot (100') square rock, rough, but with a flat surface. Here, Tarl discovered Telima's betrayal and fought a Kur.

"The Skerry of Vars is roughly a hundred foot, Gorean, square. It is rough, but, on the whole, flat. It rises some fifteen to twenty feet from the water. It is grayish rock, bleak, upthrust, igneous, forbidding." — Marauders of Gor, page 271.

Skjern
One of the exchange islands which are governed under merchant law.

"I did not go as far south as Anago or Ianda, or as far north as Hunjer or Skjern, west of Torvaldsland." — Raiders of Gor, pages 137-138.

Skin Bag
The bota. See "Bota."

"He leaned over and tossed me a skin bag of Paga, from which I took a long swig, then hurled it contemptuously back into his arms." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 78.

Skullcap
A close fitting cap.

"Beneath the burnoose he wore a skullcap." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 83.

Slave Anklet
An identification band placed around a slave's ankle.

Slave Bar
This device is used to secure slaves and prisoners. There are different variations of the slave bar.

"There are many arrangements for the keeping of slaves, bars, harnesses, and such." — Magicians of Gor, page 60.

Slave Basket
A large wicker basket strapped to a tarn to transport a number of slaves.

"… those women who do not please the slavers are slain; those that do have the goods of the compartment tied about their necks and are herded to the roof, with whip and slave goad, either to be bound across tarn saddles or thrust bound into wicker slave baskets, covered and tied shut, carried beneath the great birds in flight; sometimes, after only a quarter of an Ahn, before adequate reinforcements can be summoned, the slavers depart with their booty, leaving behind a flaming cylinder; slavers can strike any city but they are particularly a scourge to those cities which have not trained the tarn, but depend on the ponderous tharlarion." — Assassin of Gor, page 51.

Slave Bells
Often, a master places bells upon his slaves in order to always here them afoot. These bells are small, and their chimes often called sensual. It is not without interest for a master to bell girls in this manner; the sounds emitted, along with the visual image of the girl in chains and bells is considered quite beautiful.

"The note of this bell, which is bright and clear, is easily distinguished from those of the degrading, sensual bells of the slave." — Tribesmen of Gor, pages 44-45.

Slave Belly
The area of the abdomen around the navel; so called because only slave girls expose their navels.

I pushed it down so that her navel might be well revealed. It is called the 'slave belly' on Gor. Only slave girls, on Gor, reveal their navels. "You make me show the 'slave belly,' Master," she said. — Explorers of Gor, page 334.

Slave Belly [Emotion]
Not termed "slave belly" in the books of John Norman (see: "Slave Belly" above for actual definition of this term), it is this emotion referenced in the books that led virtual chat rooms to speak of the "slave belly" as demonstrated in this quote.

"It is said, in a Gorean proverb, that a man, in his heart, desires freedom, and that a woman, in her belly, yearns for love." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 180.

Slave Box
Often, this device is used to discipline a slave. A small, square iron box the slave is forced inside, the iron door bolted shut. Only two openings are in the box, both on the door. One is at the top, an aperture one inch high and seven inches long. The other at the bottom, two inches high and twelve inches long. These are to allow air into the box, which is hot and dark, and also to allow food and water to be passed to the slave.

"If you do," she said, "you will be punished, and promptly, and your punishment will not be pleasant."
       "You will be beaten," said one of the girls nearby, her eyes wide, "and put in the slave box!" — Slave Girl of Gor, page 269.

Slave Brace
A device is used to secure slaves as well as prisoners.

"A slave girl was kneeling nearby, in a sort of improvised slave brace, a short, stout pole, drilled through in three places." — Magicians of Gor, page 60.

Slave Bracelets
Metal manacles for securing a slave.

"Now again Midice danced, her ankles in delicious proximity and wrists lifted again together back to back above her head, palms out. But this time her ankles were not as though chained, nor her wrists as though braceleted; rather they were truly chained and braceleted; she wore the linked ankle rings, the three-linked slave bracelets of a Gorean master…" — Raiders of Gor, page 116.

Slave Cage
A small cage, often made of metal, that is just large enough for a slave to sit or curl up in. These are often mistakenly called "kennels" but as evidenced in the following quote, they are two different forms of confinement. A kennel is a permanent type cell, whereas a cage is temporary.

"Against the far wall there were thirty kennels, five rows of six each, tiered , with iron runways and iron stairs giving access to them. They reached to the ceiling of the room. Elsewhere in the room there were some slave cages, but they were now empty." — Assassin of Gor, page 124.

"Also forward on the barge was a slave cage, and two guards, with the sides of their spears, herded us onto the barge, across its planking and into the cage. Behind us I heard one of the bargemen slam the heavy iron door and slide the heavy iron bolt into place. I looked back. He snapped shut a heavy padlock. We were caged." — Captive of Gor, page 80.

Slave Control Device, Electronic
Developed by one of the Priest-Kings after the Nest War.

"A Priest-King named Serus, whom I had not known in the War, but who had been of the cohorts of Sarm, had an interesting device for slave control, which I mention. It consists of four circular metal bands, with flat plates, which fasten about the two wrists and two of the slave. He is permitted complete freedom of movement by these bands, which are rather like bracelets and anklets. Wearing these, of course, a collar or brand is not necessary. But, from a central, guarded panel, and from individual transmitters, those of their owners, a signal may be transmitted which causes the two bracelets and the two anklets to immediately snap together at the flat plates, thus, even at a distance, binding the slave. There are individual signals and a master signal, permitting an individual slave to be immediately secured, no matter where he is in the Nest, or every slave in the Nest." — Assassin of Gor, pages 61-62.

Slave Chain
1) Any of the types of chains for securing a slave;
2) a line of slaves chained together.

"Her ankles were similarly fastened by a short slave chain which encircled the tree." — Outlaw of Gor, page 186.

"The girl stood there. On her thigh was the brand. She was braceleted and leashed, and given to the slaver. He led her, weeping, away to his slave chain." — Hunters of Gor, page 156.

"I went to the last girl. I closed the heavy metal ankle ring about her ankle, snapping it shut, and extended its chain, with its locking device, to her right. I then took the second Harl ring and closed it about the ankle of the next girl. I then took the locking device at the termination of the first girl's ankle ring and snapper it shut, through the closed, welded loop on the back of the second girl's ankle ring. The two were now chained together. I then extended the chain on the second girl's ankle ring to her right. I then locked the third girl's ankle ring to her, and then snapped the locking device on the chain of the second through the welded, closed loop of the third girl's ring on her. Three were now fastened together… I proceeded, thus, girl to girl, through the fair prisoners. When I finished, I stood up. I looked at the girls, lying on their backs. They were now a slave chain." — Hunters of Gor, page 209.

Slave Cloak
A light cloak designed specifically for the slave girl.

"We met in Sura's training room and I, who was to be in charge of this expedition, given that I would let no other guard Elizabeth, was given a leather sack of silver and copper coins by Ho-Tu, for the expenses of the day. Each of the girls would wear brief silken slave livery, sleeveless, the disrobing loop on the left shoulder. Elizabeth wore red, Virginia and Phyllis white. Each of the girls was also issued a light slave cloak, the hem of which fell a bit above the hem of her livery, but which had a hood. Elizabeth's was red with white stripes, Virginia and Phyllis' white with red stripes. To their consternation, before being permitted to leave the training room, Virginia and Phyllis, beneath their livery, had locked on their bodies, by Sura, the iron belt." — Assassin of Gor, page 214.

Slave Challenge
The act of two warriors fighting for ownership of a slave girl. The English-to-Gorean phrase for this is Kajira Canjellne.

"I like this girl," said the warrior. "Yield her to me!"
       "No," I said.
       "Yield her or I will have my tharlarion trample you," he snapped, "or would you prefer to be spitted on my lance?"
       "You know the codes," I said evenly. "If you want her, you must challenge for her and meet me with the weapon of my choice."
       The warrior"s face clouded, but only for an instant. He threw back his fine head and laughed, his teeth white in his bushy beard. "Done!" he cried, fastening his lance in its saddle sheath and slipping from the back of the tharlarion. "I challenge you for her!"
       "The sword," I said.
       "Agreed," he said. — Tarnsman of Gor, page 117.

Slave Collar
A band of metal which is secured around the neck of a slave and locked. There are many varieties of collars, such as the Turian and the Torvaldslander collars. The collar serves two functions; to identify the person as a slave, the owner's initials etched in the collar, and to impress upon that person their slavery.

"The small, heavy lock on a girl's slave collar, incidentally, may be of several varieties, but almost all are cylinder locks, either of the pin or disk variety." — Assassin of Gor, page 51.

Slave Compound
A dormitory of sorts, however as it is for slaves, it resembles a very large cage. Often, such compounds are rent out space.

"About noon we arrived at a slave compound north of Laura. There are several such. Targo had rented space in one compound, adjoining others … The compounds are formed of windowless log dormitories, floored with stone on which straw is spread; the dormitory then opens by one small door, about a yard high, into the barred exercise yard. This yard resembles a large cage. Its walls are bars, and its roof, too. The roof bars are supported at places in the yard by iron stanchions." — Captive of Gor, page 89.

Slave Dance
Any of thousands of the sensuous and lascivious dances performed by slave girls to entertain their masters.

"The institution of female slavery on Gor is doubtless thousands of years old; accordingly it is natural that there should be great complexity and refinement in such a delicious art form as slave dance. There are even, it might be mentioned, hate dances and rebellion dances, but most dances, as might be expected, are display dances, or need dances, or love and submission dances; even the hate and rebellion dances, of course, conclude, inevitably, with the ultimate surrender of the girl to her master as a love slave." — Fighting Slave of Gor, page 288.

Slave Fire
The intense desire of a slave girl for the touch of a master.

"Does she have slave fire?" he asked. I remembered her sobbing in my arms, kissing and licking, and begging for my least touch. "Yes," I said. — Explorers of Gor, page 185.

Slave Flame
One of the favored hair styles for female slaves.

"My hair was longer now, as it had not been cut on Gor, save to trim and shape it. It now fell below my shoulders, and swirled behind me, shaped into the 'slave flame.'" — Slave Girl of Gor, page 281.

Slave Gardens of Anesidemus
An expensive brand of Ka-la-na.

dt>"Perhaps a tiny glass of ka-la-na," she said, "among friends."
       I looked to the left, Louise, as she had been bidden, was watching. I lifted my finger. The Earth girl then leapt up and hurried to the table. At the table she knelt. "A small bottle," I said, "of the Slave Gardens of Anesidemus."
       "I have heard that is a marvelous ka-la-na," said the free woman, her eyes alight.
       "So, too, have I," I said.
       "It is very expensive," said the woman. — Mercenaries of Gor, pages 344-345.

Slave-Girl Discipline
The cruel sport of slave girls in a kennel in which they beat a slave girl lower in seniority among them. See also: "Low Girl."

Slave Goad
An electrical device, much like a tarn goad, used for controlling and disciplining slaves; there is also a Kill Level on this device.

"On the other side of the belt, there hung a slave goad, rather like the tarn goad, except that it is designed to be used as an instrument for the control of human beings rather than tarns." — Assassin of Gor, pages 84-85.

Slave Gruel
A slave porridge made of sa-tarna grain and water; sometimes bits of meat or fish is added to the gruel. Quite tasteless otherwise. See: "Sa-Tarna Porridge."

Slave Harness
Device for securing a slave.

"There are many arrangements for the keeping of slaves, bars, harnesses, and such." — Magicians of Gor, page 60.

Slave Heat
The intense sexual need and wonton pleasure of a slave girl.

"… the merchant's daughter, to her indignation, brought only six. She had not yet learned slave heat." — Explorers of Gor, page 46.

"Then I smiled. I smelled slave heat." — Explorers of Gor, page 81.

"You now have my permission to again respond," I said. "I cannot possibly respond with another woman in the room," she whispered to me." Surely you must understand that, Master." "Show her your slave heat," I said… "A slave," I said, "must be passionate… Moreover," I said, "she is to be proud of her passion. It is one of the most splendid, and beautiful and joyful things about her … Begin," I told her.
       She began to move, and try to kiss me. "But there is another woman present," she said.
       "Move," I told her … "Be proud of your slave heat," I told her … "Show her your slave heat," I said.
       "Yes, Master," she sobbed. Then, in a few moments, despite her intent, I heard a moan of pleasure escape her.
       "It is not wrong to experience sexual pleasure," I told her.
       "But there is another woman present," she said.
       "Show her your slave heat," I said. — Explorers of Gor, pages 191-193.

Slave Hobble
There are various sorts of hobbles, some of chains, others of leather, like those of the red savages (known as twist hobbles). Slaves are often kept in hobbles at night, not so much as to prevent their escape, but rather to prevent their theft.

Kamchak was fishing about among his paraphernalia and he came up with two wrist-ankle hobbles. "What are those for?" asked Aphris.
       "So that you will not forget you are slave girls," growled Kamchak. — Nomads of Gor, page 152.

"At night," said another lad, "to make it harder to steal them, we put them in twist hobbles and tie them together by the neck, in strings, their hands tied behind their backs. These strings are then picketed near the village." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 125.

"I glanced at the slender ankles of my charge. I thought they would look well in close-fitting leather hobbles, twist hobbles, knotted on the outside of the left ankle, which she, her hands bound behind her back, would be unable to remove." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 128.

"If I should see her," said one of the fellows, he who had apprised me that the camp was not yet officially open, "I will get her in slave hobbles in no time." — Vagabonds of Gor, page 453.

Slave Hood
Cloth or leather coverings which go over a slave's head so that she may not see; used to keep a slave or prisoner docile. There are two variations of the slave hood; one is a full hood that covers her head completely, the other is a half hood that is much like the blindfold, though more secure.

"It is not pleasant to wear a Gorean slave hood. They gasped for air." — Hunters of Gor, page 34.

"Bound in the saddle in front of me, drugged, her head completely covered with a slave hood buckled under her chin, was a girl. It was Sana, the Tower Slave whom I had seen on my first day in Gor." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 66.

Slave Ignorance
Slaves are often deliberately kept in ignorance of many things, but generally of their whereabouts, the names of their captors, etc.

"I supposed the motivations of the hooding, in part, might have been to remind us that we were slaves, and men could do these things to us, but, too, I suspected, it was to keep us in 'slave ignorance,' a condition often deemed appropriate for women in bondage. At any rate none of us knew where we were, or where we had been. We did not even know the name of the house where we had been trained, or the name of its master. In this sense, we did not even know who owned us. The Gorean girls had tried to read one another's collars, but the markings on them had apparently been in coded symbols, incomprehensible even to them. That seemed strange to me. Though I was learning to speak Gorean, incidentally, I could not read it. Neither I, nor any of the other Earth girls in my group, had, as far as I knew, in spite of the intensity and frequency of our lessons, received any instructions whatsoever in reading it, even in an elementary way. We were illiterate. I suspected we would be kept that way. Still, the degree of 'slave ignorance' in which we were being kept, not even knowing the name of our master, for example, seemed extreme, if not absurd. It was connected, then, I reasoned, with some sort of measures of security. This might explain, too, the gags, which were perhaps not simply a way of men telling us that we are subject to them, and may be gagged, as we might be blindfolded, chained, tied or beaten, at their pleasure, but rather to keep us from speaking with one another, particularly the Gorean girls, perhaps exchanging information or speculations, or, more likely, daring to call out to others, perhaps passers-by in the vicinity of the wagon, teasing them, bantering with them, begging prettily, perhaps, for tiny bits of information." — Dancer of Gor, page 89.

Slave Kennels
Holdings for slaves. See: "Kennel."

Slave Knife
Small knife which is utilized by Slavers to cut cloth from a slave, thereby leaving her naked or her treasures revealed.

"With a slave knife he cut the rence tunic from her and threw her, still partly tangled in the net, over his shoulder, and carried her toward one of the dark, high-prowed barges in the shadows at the edge of the island." — Raiders of Gor, page 54.

Slave Knot
The simple bowknot; prescribed by a master to his slave girl for the fastening of slave garment at the left of the girl's waist. Such a knot can be easily undone and thus making her available to him.

"The simple bowknot is often spoken of as the slave knot. It is the sort of knot prescribed by masters's for the fastening of slave garments, because of its ease in undoing. It is fastened at the left side of the girl's waist, where it is handy for a right-handed male, facing her." — Renegades of Gor", page 161.

Slave Lips
The command for a slave girl to purse her lips for a kiss, forbidden to move until the master's kiss releases her.

A girl who is commanded to make slave lips, or who receives the command, "Slave lips," must form her mouth for kissing. She then, commonly, is not permitted to break this lip position until either she kisses or is kissed. Needless to say, a girl cannot speak when her lips are in the unbroken, fully-pursed slave-lips position. The command which commonly follows the "Slave-lips" command is, "Please me." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 111.

Slave Livery
Means literally, slave clothing, slave uniforms, slave attire, etc. See: "Livery."

Slave Master
The one who, for example, in a Slaver's house, or on a ship, is responsible for the slaves' learning and discipline. See also: "Master Keeper."

By the eighth hour various captains of round ships had arrived and begun to haggle with the slave master over the prices of the oarsmen. The slave master, in my opinion, wanted far too much for his merchandise, considering we were merely fodder for the benches of the round ships. — Raiders of Gor, page 181.
       "What do you for that slave?" asked a captain, a tall man with a small, carefully trimmed beard.
       "Fifty copper tarn disks," said the slave master.
       "It is too much," said the captain. I agreed, but it did not seem up to me to enter into the question.
       "That is the price," said the slave master.
       "Very well," said the captain gesturing to a scribe near him with a wallet of coins slung over his shoulder, to pay the slave master. — Raiders of Gor, page 182.

"At dawn that morning," she said, "the Slave Master came for me. I was taken below to the pens. There, like a new girl taken from the rence islands, I was stripped. An iron was heated. I was marked. My head was placed across an anvil and, about my throat, was hammered a simple plate collar. Then my wrists were tied widely apart to wrist rings mounted in a stone wall, and I was whipped. After this, when l had been cut down, weeping, the Slave Master, and his men, much used me. After this I was fitted with slave chains and locked in a pen, with other girls. These other girls, some of them rence girls themselves, would often beat me, for they knew what freedom I had had in the house, and they knew, as was true, that I had regarded myself as far superior to such as they, only common girls, simple merchandise." — Raiders of Gor, page 293.

Slave Mat
A course mat of (often damp) straw, on which a slave girl sleeps, and also upon which a slave girl may be ordered for discipline or rape. In that instance, the girl may not leave the mat unless permitted by her master.

"Vika had unrolled a straw mat which she placed on the floor at the foot of the great stone couch in the chamber. On this, wrapped in a light blanket, her chin on her knees, she sat watching me. A heavy slave ring was set in the bottom of the couch to which I might have, had I pleased, chained her." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 48.

"… normally the Gorean slave girl sleeps at the foot of her master's couch, often on a straw mat with only a thin, cotton-like blanket, woven from the soft fibers of the Rep Plant, to protect her from the cold." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 67.

"Of custom, a slave girl may not even ascend the couch to serve her master's pleasure. The point of this restriction, I suppose, is to draw a clearer distinction between her status and that of a Free Companion. At any rate the dignities of the couch are, by custom, reserved for the Free Companion." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 68.

Slave Mistress
In the house of a Slaver, the slave trainer, usually a slave herself, one who certifies a slave girl rank as pleasure slave.

"I was trained as a pleasure slave. One year after my enslavement, I was certified to the house by the slave mistress as having become accomplished in such duties." — Raiders of Gor, page 294.

Slave Oval
A method of chaining a slave girl consisting of a hinged iron loop which locks around her waist, with two sliding wrist-rings and a welded ring in the middle of the back.

"I wore the slave oval locked about my belly, and was neck chained. The slave oval is a hinged iron loop which locks about a girl's waist. Two wrist rings, on sliding loops, are fitted on the oval. It also has a welded ring on the back, through which a slave bolt may be snapped, fastening the girl to a wall or object, or through which a chain might be passed. My wrists were locked in the wrist rings." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 324.

Slave Perfume
Specific perfumes designed to be worn by slave girls. More sensual and heavy in their smell than those worn by free women; meant to entice a master.

"Do you know the perfume you wear?" he asked. "It is the perfume of a female slave," he said. — Captive of Gor, page 335.

Slave Pole
The imaginary pole that 'transfixes' a dancing girl, by which she is 'held' during her dance. This 'pole' is generally deemed to depict a master of interest to the girl.

"I turned to watch the dancer. She danced well. At the moment she writhed upon the 'slave pole,' it fixing her in place. There is no actual pole, of course, but sometimes it is difficult to believe there is not. The girl imagines that a pole, slender, supple, swaying, transfixes her body, holding her helplessly. About this imaginary pole, it constituting a hypothetical center of gravity, she moves, undulating, swaying, sometimes yielding to it in ecstasy, sometimes fighting it, it always holding her in perfect place, its captive. The control achieved by the use of the "slave pole" is remarkable." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 11.

Slave Porridge
See: Sa-Tarna Porridge.

Slave Post
A thick, heavy post, sunk into the ground, generally about five to six feet in height, upon which a slave is bound.

"We were within a stick-sided, palm-thatched hut in the fishing village. A small fire in a clay bowl dimly illuminated the interior of the hut. There were shelves in the hut, of sticks, on which were vessels and masks. Individual tethers ran from the bound wrists of each girl to a low, stout, sunken slave post at one side of the hut." — Explorers of Gor, page 286.

"The first blond-haired girl, not she who had been Janice Prestiss, whom I had referred to as the blond-haired barbarian, knelt at the end of her tether, her wrists extended behind her, bound, their line taut to the slave post." — Explorers of Gor, page 288.

"It was about five feet high, and seven inches thick, sturdy, sunk deep in the ground. In its back, there were two heavy metal rings, one about two feet from the ground, the other about three and a half feet from the ground. It was a rough post, barked. On its front, near the top, carved, cut into the bark with the point of a sleen knife, was a crude representation of opened slave bracelets. It was a slave post." — Captive of Gor, page 131.

Slave Rag
An article of slave clothing. In Gorean, the word for this is Ta-Teera. See "Ta-Teera."

Slave Raid
A raid upon which slaves are taken; usually done by slavers; a quite profitable business on Gor.

"… angrily before me, as though she might have been a freshly collared slave girl, brought in but an Ahn before, bound over the saddle of a kaiila, the fruit of a slave raid." — Nomads of Gor, page 282.

"… further, the object of slave raids, carefully scouted, organized and conducted expeditions, is almost always the acquisition of females; commonly one cylinder is struck, its bridges sealed off, its compartments broken into and ransacked for gold and beauty; the men of the compartment are slain and the women stripped; those women who do not please the slavers are slain; those that do have the goods of the compartment tied about their necks and are herded to the roof, with whip and slave goad, either to be bound across tarn saddles or thrust bound into wicker slave baskets, covered and tied shut, carried beneath the great birds in flight; sometimes, after only a quarter of an Ahn, before adequate reinforcements can be summoned, the slavers depart with their booty, leaving behind a flaming cylinder; slavers can strike any city but they are particularly a scourge to those cities which have not trained the tarn, but depend on the ponderous tharlarion." — Assassin of Gor, page 51.

"Slave raids are a major business, and from time to time, a city falls. Slavers are angry, incidentally, when a city does fall, for then the market is likely to be depressed for months, due to the influx of new slaves, sometimes numbered in the thousands. The slavers, by the way, indulge in speculation and manipulation whenever possible, trying to anticipate changes in fashion or control them." — Assassin of Gor, pages 110-111.

Slave Rape
This term refers to the sexual use of a slave girl, whether by force or with much gentleness and tenderness.

"Please, Master," she whispered, "subject me again to slave rape."
"Earn your rape," I told her. — Beasts of Gor, page 121.

"Does a slave girl not expect slave rape? Some masters enjoy having their girls raped occasionally; it serves to remind them that they are slaves… It is also regarded, at times, as an aid in helping young males attain their manhood." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 227.

Slave Registration Papers
Papers which denote ownership of a slave; these papers also denote the physical description of the slave, as well as contain fingerprints and other identifying information.

"He lived in the house and seldom went abroad in the streets. It was with this man that Vella had been placed, her registration, papers and purchase having been arranged. In the House of Cernus, after the sheet, bracelets, leash and collar had been removed, agents of House of Cernus had checked her fingerprints against those on the papers. She had then been examined thoroughly the by Physicians of the House of Cernus. Then, found acceptable, she had knelt while agents of the House signed the receipt of her delivery and endorsed her papers, retaining one set, giving one set to the seller's agent, for forwarding to the Cylinder of Documents." — Assassin of Gor, pages 40-41.

Slave Ring
A heavy iron ring which is placed into the floor or walls to which a slave may be secured.

Slave Run-Chain
A way of chaining a slave girl in which she has freedom of movement to perform her chores.

Slave Sack
Also: Body Hood
A canvas or leather sack used to keep a slave docile or for punishment.

"The common slave sack is usually a sturdy canvas or leather sack, which may be tied, buckled or chained shut." — Vagabonds of Gor, page 389.

Slave Sport
See: "Slut Sport."

Slave Stake
A long stake of wood, usually a minimum of four and one half feet (4-1/2') in length and four inches (4") in width, with a groove cut from one end, approximately one inch (1") deep, then implanted, all but approximately four inches (4") above ground. Used for securing slaves. Note: Norman lets us know that there is a difference between a slave post and a slave stake.

As the girl, on her knees, tended the roasting tarsk, I cut a long stake, some four and one half feet in length and some four inches in width. About its top, about two inches from the end, I cut a groove, about an inch deep.
      "What is that for?" she asked.
      "It is a slave stake," I said, "for securing you for the night." …
      With a large rock, blow by blow, heavily, inch by inch, I drove the long, thick stake into the ground. I left about four inches of it exposed. … I took one end of the spit in two hands and lifted the tarsk from the fire, putting it down on leaves. I then crouched beside it, and began to cut into it, to the spit. I looked up. The girl, kneeling by the fire, watched me. I rose to my feet. I tied a long leather strap in her neck and led her to the slave stake. I tied the free end of the strap about the slave stake, using the prepared groove in the stake which I had earlier cut. "Kneel," I told her. "Yes, Master," she said. She then knelt there, tethered to the stake by the neck. I had left her about seven feet of slack in the strap. — Explorers of Gor, page 349.

She looked down at the slave stake. "I note that this night," she said, "you did not fasten me to a small tree, as to a slave post, but that you prepared a slave stake." She then lifted the tether. "I note, too, Master," she said, "that this tether is somewhat longer than would be needful to secure a miserable slave." — Explorers of Gor, page 359.

Roughly the girl, whose name had been Zina, but who was now as nameless as a newborn she-kaiila, was taken from the tent and thrown on her belly in the gravel by the slave stake. The collar, from behind, was put about her throat and locked; her head was jerked sideways as, by the collar chain, in the fist of one of Hassan's men, she was secured by the snap lock at the chain's fret end, to the stake ring. Her ankles were chained, snapped into the ankle rings; her right wrist was then locked in a slave bracelet; Hassan's man, reaching under her right leg, by the dangling bracelet, rudely jerked her right hand and wrist under her right leg: he then locked her left wrist in the bracelet, confining her hands behind and below her right leg. — Explorers of Gor, page 147.

Slave Star
A way of chaining slaves which forms a star.

"My girls, the four paga slaves, I had left behind me, more than a pasang from this place, tied, gagged, in a slave star. I would not need them tonight. Before fastening them in the slave star I had, on their bellies, watered them at a small stream. I had then found a suitable, thick-trunked tree. I sat them about the tree, their backs to it, and fastened them in the star, the left wrist of the first girl bound to the right wrist of the next, and so about the tree, until the star was closed by binding the left wrist to the fourth girl to the last untethered wrist, the right wrist of the first girl. I then crossed their ankles, and bound their ankles together, each girl individually." span class="olive"> — Hunters of Gor, page 194.

Slave Steel
This term refers generically to collars, chains, etc. worn by slaves.

"These collars are normally measured individually to the girl as is most slave steel." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 158.

Slave Strap
A heavy strap or belt which buckles behind the slave's back; in front, near the belly area, there is a metal plate with a welded ring, through which passes a chain of approximately five inches (5"), each end attached to a pair of slave bracelets, to keep the slave's hand before her body.

Slave Training Room
Room in which the general training of slaves is done. Following is an example of one such room.

"Sometimes, to while away the time I would watch the girls in training. Sura's training room lay directly off her private compartment, which might have been that of a free woman, save that the heavy door locked only on the outside and, at the eighteenth bar, it became her cell. The training room was floored with wood, laid diagonally across beams for additional strength; one twelve-foot area of the room was a shallow pit of sand; against one wall were various chests of raiment, cosmetics and retention devices, for girls must be trained to wear chains gracefully; certain dances are performed in them, and so on. To one side there was a set of mats for Musicians, who almost invariably were present at the sessions, for even the exercises of the girls, which were carefully selected and frequently performed, are done to music; against one wall were several bars, also used in exercise, not unlike a training room in ballet except that there were four parallel bars fastened in the wall, which are used in a variety of exercises. Near the chests of raiment and such were several folded mats and sets of love furs. One entire side of the room, the left, facing the front, was a mirror. This mirror was, as might be expected, a one-way mirror. Various members of the House might observe the training without being noted from behind this glass." — Assassin of Gor, pages 192-193.

Slave Trap
Device used to trap slaves.

"There was suddenly a great, heavy steel snap at my feet. Arn cried out in pain and fell forward. Locked on his right ankle were the heavy, sharp steel teeth of a slave trap. I fought the heavy, curved steel jaws, but they had locked shut. The Gorean slave trap is not held by a simple, heavy spring as would be the trap for a panther or sleen. Such a spring, by a strong man, with his hands, might be thrust open. This trap had sprung shut and locked. The heavy steel curved snugly about his ankle. The sharp teeth, biting deeply, fastened themselves in his flesh. It could only be opened by key. He would be held perfectly. It was a Gorean slave trap." — Hunters of Gor, page 126.

Slave Veil
Usually, a small triangle of diaphanous silk, worn across the bridge of the nose and covering the lower half of the face; it parodies the heavy veils worn by free women, as it conceals nothing and often arouses the lust of masters.

"The slave veil is a mockery, in its way. It reveals, as much as conceals, yet it adds a touch of subtlety, mystery; slave veils are made to be torn away, the lips of the master then crushing those of the slave." — Tribesmen of Gor, pages 69-70.

Slave Wagon
A flat-bedded, barred wagon, like a large cage with a door in the rear, in which many slaves may be transported at one time, their ankles chained to a bar that runs down the center of the floor; tarpaulins are often used to cover the cage and hide the cargo.

"Led by Kazrak, I went with Talena, walking back along the line of wagons to see where she would be placed. Beside one of several long wagons of the sort covered with yellow and blue silk, I removed the bracelets from her wrists and turned her over to an attendant… 'I have a spare ankle ring,' he said, and took Talena by the arm, thrusting her inside the wagon. In the wagon there were some twenty girls, dressed in the slave livery of Gor, perhaps ten on a side, chained to a metal bar which ran the length of the wagon." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 123.

Slave Whip
Any of the number of whips used in disciplining slaves.

Slave Whistle
Whistle used in controlling slaves; used in issuing signals, commands, summoning.

"Also, clipped to the belt, was a slave whistle, used in issuing signals, summoning slaves, and so on." — Assassin of Gor, page 84.

Slave Wine
Developed by the Caste of Physicians, this is a bitter drink made from the sip root, with contraceptive effects; administered to slave girls. There is much debate as to how often a slave is to drink the slave wine; and reasonably so, as John Norman himself describes the lasting effects of the slave wine inconsistently. Realistically, the slave wine, drunk once, has an almost indefinite contraceptive life, counteracted only by the breeding wine, or "second wine." However, masters often yearly give his slave girls the slave wine to drink as a symbolic gesture, almost ceremonial.

"Holding the blanket about me, I went to him. He proffered me a cup and I, with one hand, holding the blanket about me with the other, drank its contents. It was a foul brew, but I downed it. I did not know at the time, but it was slave wine. Men seldom breed upon their slave girls. Female slaves, when bred, are commonly hooded and crossed with a male slave, similarly hooded, the breeding conducted under the supervision of their respective owners; a girl is seldom bred with a slave from her own house; personal relationships between male and female slaves are usually frowned upon; sometimes, however, as a discipline even a high female slave is sometimes thrown to a chain of work slaves for their pleasure. The effect of the slave wine endures several cycles, or moons; it may be counteracted by another drink, a smooth, sweet beverage, which frees the girl's body for the act of the male slave, or, in unusual cases, should she be freed, to the act of the lover; slave girls, incidentally, are almost never freed on Gor; they are too delicious and desirable to free; only a fool, it is commonly said, would free one." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 70.

Slave Wire
Closely interwoven latticework of sharp strands of wire set at intervals of less than a hort; used in fencing of slave compounds. The barbs and knifelike prongs could easily cut a slave to pieces.

"I could see, too, though it was harder now, the posts in the distance, between which the wire was strung. The wire was slave wire, with its closely interwoven latticework of sharp, swaying strands, and, numerous and closely set, at intervals of less than a hort, its barbs and knifelike prongs. I shuddered. A slave could be cut to pieces on such wire." — Dancer of Gor, page 347.

Slave Yoke
There are various designs to such yokes. An example is one which is a narrow piece of wood, approximately five feet (5') long with holes drilled in the middle and at each end; used for securing slaves. This particular sort of yoke is used mostly among the Red Savages of the Barrens. There are also yokes made of metal, intended for slaves with greater strength, such as male slaves.

"She was dressed, save for her bondage strings, in much the same way as most of the women of the red hunters, bare-breasted, with high boots and panties. Thistle, however, behind her, was naked, in a northern yoke and on a leather leash. The northern yoke is either of wood or bone, and is drilled in three places. The one Thistle wore was of wood. It was not heavy. It passed behind her neck at which point one of the drilled holes occurred. The other two holes occurred at the terminations of the yoke. A leather strap is knotted about the girl's wrist, passed through the drilled hole at one end of the yoke, usually that on her left, taken up through the hole behind the neck, looped twice about her neck, threaded back down through the center hole, taken up through the other hole at the end, usually the one at her right, and tied about her right wrist. She is thus fastened in the yoke. From each end of the yoke hung a large sack." — Beasts of Gor, pages 196-197.

Slaver
One who buys, acquires and sells slaves. They are members of the Caste of Merchants; their colors differing however, from the Merchants due to the nature of their goods.

"Samos wore the blue and yellow robes of the Slaver. Indeed, he was first slaver of Port Kar…" — Hunters of Gor, page 7.

"I saw that the cover of the tharlarion wagon, which had been rolled back, was of blue and yellow silk. It was the camp of a slaver." — Outlaw of Gor, page 185.

"The Slavers, incidentally, are of the Merchant Caste, though, in virtue of their merchandise and practices, their robes are different." — Assassin of Gor, page 208.

Slaver's Caress
The erotic caress of a slaver to a slave girl using his whip, thus exposing the truth of a girl's needs and desires, emphasizing that she is, in fact, a slave — or should be. See also "Whip Caress."

"… and that he touched you with the whip, the Slaver's Caress, that was only to show me, and perhaps you, that you were female." — Nomads of Gor, page 281.

Slaver's Necklace
A coffle of female slaves of various cities on Gor, superbly knelt before potential buyer(s); often in such an arrangement, girls are placed according to height or to contrast the skin or hair colors.

The girl who wore the sign, "I am for sale," danced before us, as she had before others, displaying her master's proffered merchandise. I saw that she wanted to be purchased. That was obvious in the pleading nature of her dance. Her master was perhaps a dealer, and one, as are many, who is harsh with his stock. Her dance, thusly, was rather like the "Buy me, Master," behavior of a girl on a chain, the "slaver's necklace," or in a market, the sort of behavior in which she begs purchase. A girl on such a chain, or in a market, who is too much passed over has reason for alarm. Not only is she likely to be lowered on the chain, perhaps even to "last girl," which is demeaning to her, and a great blow to her vanity, but she is likely to be encouraged to greater efforts by a variety of admonitory devices, in particular, the switch and whip. Earth-girl slaves brought to Gor, for example, are often, particularly at first, understandably enough, I suppose, afraid to be sold, and accordingly, naturally enough, I suppose, sometimes attempt, usually in subtle ways, to discourage buyers, thereby hoping to be permitted to cling to the relative security of the slaver's chain. Needless to say, this behavior is soon corrected and, in a short time, only too eager now to be off the slaver's chain, they are displaying themselves, and proposing themselves, luscious, eager, ready, begging merchandise, to prospective buyers. — Magicians of Gor, page 45.

[The] Slaves of Ar
A paga tavern in Port Kar.

"These four taverns, if it is of interest, are the Veminium, the Kailiauk, the Slaves of Ar and the Silver of Tharna." — Explorers of Gor, page 42.

Slaves' Wharf
In port cities, such as Port Kar, rather than an elaborate slave auction house, slaves are simple sold on the wharves, generally males to be sold as galley slaves.

"On the slaves' wharf I was, with little ceremony, added to the market chain." — Raiders of Gor, page 181.

Slee
A rodent of the arctic north.

On the floor itself are also found several varieties of animal life, in particular marsupials, such as the armored gatch, and rodents, such as slees and ground urts." — Explorers of Gor, page 312.

Sleen
A vicious carnivorous beast, mammilian, furred, with a serpentine-like body, two rows of teeth. Usual litter size is four pups, who make their first kill by the age of two months. Although these beasts can be domesticated, they can by no means, be tamed.

"It is at night that the sleen hunts, that six-legged, long-bodied mammalian carnivore, almost as much a snake as an animal." — Outlaw of Gor, page 26.

Sleen Collar
Used for domestic sleen, a large, heavy leather collar, a metal ring sewn into the collar, by which a leash may be attached; has been known to be used on female slaves as well.

Sleen Hunters, Ritual of
Sleen hunters, upon making their kill, feast on the blood of the sleen; it is believed to hold portent of the future. Also referred in the books as "Ritual of Looking into the Blood."

"I shared bits of the heart of the sleen with my men, and, together, cupping our hands, we drank its blood in a ritual of sleen hunters. I had looked into the blood, cupped in my hands. It is said that if one sees oneself black and wasted in the blood, one will perish of disease; if one sees oneself torn and bloody, one will perish in battle; if one sees oneself old and gray one will die in peace and leave children. " — Beasts of Gor, page 14.

"Then, soberly, though I acknowledged it as a supersition, I performed the Gorean ritual of looking into the blood. With my cupped hands, I drank a mouthful of blood, and then, holding another in my hands, I waited for the next flash of lightning. One looks into the blood in one's cupped hands. It is said that if one sees one's visage black and wasted one will die of disease, if one sees oneself torn and scarlet one will die in battle, if one sees oneself old and white haired, one will die in peace and leave children. I drank the blood, completing the ritual." — Outlaw of Gor, page 38.

Sleen Knife
A small knife used by sleen trainers, favored by the panther girls.

"Each girl wore, too, at her waist, a sheathed sleen knife." — Captive of Gor, page 122.

Sleen Nets
Nets used by sleen hunters for capturing sleen; can also be used for the capturing of female slaves.

"My men carried sleen nets, as though they might be sleen hunters. Such nets, however, would also be suitable for the snaring of female slaves." — Hunters of Gor, page 107.

Sleen Soldiers
A warrior society of the Isbu Kaiila; their sign is a string of sleen claws worn about a warrior's neck. Not to be confused with the Sleen tribe.

"No," said Cuwignaka. "But it was Canka, and Hci, with the All Comrades and Sleen Soldiers, who first put me in the dress of a woman and later bound me in that dress and took me to the country of the Dust Legs, there selling me as a slave. That was on the decision of the council of the Isbu, presided over by Mahpiyasapa." — Savages of Gor, pages 324.

"Scouts of the Sleen Soldiers, a warrior society of the Isbu, had been keeping track of the animals since they had entered the country of the Kaiila more than two weeks ago. This was a moon in which the Sleen Soldiers held police powers in the camp, and so it was to their lot that numerous details, such as scouting and guarding, supervising the camp and settling minor disputes, now fell. Among their other duties, of course, would come the planning, organization and policing of the great Wanasapi, the hunt or chase." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 8.

"Hci angrily gestured to the string of sleen claws about his neck, the sign of the Sleen Soldiers." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 11.

"The Kaiila were mostly members of the All Comrades, a warrior society, like the Sleen Soldiers, of the Isbu Kaiila. They were under the command of Canka, Cuwignaka's brother." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 14.

Sleen Teeth
Considered to be a good luck item.

"Here there were lines of booths in an extended arcade, where merchandise of various sorts might be purchased, usually of an inexpensive and low-quality variety. There were… lucky sleen teeth…" — Assassin of Gor, page 155.

Sleen [Tribe]
One of the tribes of the red savages; considered one of the "wild" tribes of the interior Barrens; the hand signal is the same as for the beast itself, resting of the middle fingers of the right hand on the right thumb, extending the index and little finger, this suggesting the animal's pointed snout and ears. Not to be confused with the warrior society named the Sleen Soldiers. A warrior society of the Sleen are the Sun Lances.

"It is unusual, is it not, for Dust Legs to be on the rampage?" I asked. I had understood them to be one of the more peaceful of the tribes of the Barrens. Indeed, they often acted as intermediaries between the men of the settlements and the wilder tribes of the interior, such as the Yellow Knives, the Sleen and Kaiila. — Savages of Gor, page 85.

"Red savages," smiled Grunt. "Fleer," he then said. "Kaiila, Sleen. Yellow Knives, Kailiauk." … The sign for the Sleen tribe had been the same as that for the sleen, the resting of the middle fingers of the right hand on the right thumb, extending the index and little finger, this suggesting the animal's pointed snout and ears. — Savages of Gor, page 246.

"What were the yellow lances on the flanks of the kaiila of the Sleen?' I asked.
      "The Sun Lances," said Grunt, "a warrior society of the Sleen." — Savages of Gor, pages 314.

Sleen Whip
Long whip used in controlling sleen by sleen trainers; also used on slave girls.

Sleeping Mat
A mat usually placed upon the floor that is rolled up when unused. Often, these mats have blanket-like sides, which incorporate the use of a chronometric temperature device (See: Chronometric Temperature Device").

"His sleeping mat was unrolled, and his blankets must not have been aired for weeks." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 37.

"In the morning I awoke on the sleeping mat in the corner of my apartment, cold and shivering. It was shortly before dawn. I turned off the power switch on the mat and folded back its blanket sides. It was chilly to the touch now, because I had set the chronometric temperature device to turn to cold an hour before the first light." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 60.

"He lit the small hanging tent lamp, a wick set in a copper bowl of tharlarion oil, and in its flickering light turned to the sleeping mat." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 167.

Sleeping Platform
Found in the ice homes of the Innuit, these are raised platforms upon which sleeping furs are placed in order to trap heat for the sleeper. Sleeping platforms are also found in other portions of the planet, including the Ushindi.

"Also, sleeping is usually done on a sleeping platform. This is raised above the floor level. The platform is warmer than the floor level of the dwelling, of course, because of the tendency of warm air to rise. A yard of height can make a difference of several degrees of temperature inside a typical dwelling of the red hunters." — Beasts of Gor, page 268.

"I slipped into the room. It was totally dark within. I stood with my back to the grass wall, to the left of the door, as I had entered. The sleeping platform, I was told, was near the center of the room." — Explorers of Gor, page 238.

Sleeping Robes
Pajamas.

"We returned to our tent. Kazrak was gone, and my suspicion was that he was gone for the night, that he was even now tangled in the sleeping robes of one of the torchlit booths of the City of Tents." — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 133-134.

I looked at the two heavy locks on the innermost gate. "They cannot be picked," said Sucha. "They are sleeve locks. The sleeve prevents the direct entry of a wire or pick. Too, within the sleeve there is a plug, a rounded, metal cone, which must be unscrewed before the key can be inserted. A wire or pick could not turn the cone." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 258.

Sleeve Sheath
A knife sheath that is sewn into the sleeve of a man's tunic, thus concealing the weapon and keeping it easily accessible at the same time.

Slime Worm
A long, tubular worm which inhabits the nests of the Priest-Kings.

"The Slime Worm lifted the forward portion of its long, tubular body and the tiny red mouth on its underside seemed to peer up at me." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 186.

Slippers
Worn by free women, these non-heeled shoes come in many varieties, depending on region and culture.

"On her feet were soft, black, nonheeled slippers, with curled toes, they were, decorated with a line of silver thread." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 44.

Sloth
A slow-moving, tree-dwelling mammal found in the rainforests.

"Here, too, may be found snakes and monkeys, gliding urts, leaf urts, squirrels, climbing, long-tailed porcupines, lizards, sloths, and the usual varieties of insects, ants, centipedes, scorpions, beetles and flies, and so on." — Explorers of Gor, page 311.

Slugs
Larger version of the Earth common garden variety.

"I stepped aside as a flat, sluglike creature, clinging with several legs to a small transportation disk, swept by." — Priest-Kings Gor, page 90.

Slut Sport
The use of a female slave by a male slave; done without permission is often a death sentence to the slave.

"Telitsia!" said Kenneth, standing before the stall. We drew quickly, guiltily, apart. We both, immediately, knelt, heads down, before a free person.
       "Where have you been?" said Kenneth.
       "Here, master," she whimpered.
       "Get your rag on," said Kenneth. "The wagon is ready."
       "Yes, Master," she said, hurrying to pull her tiny, pathetic garment over her head.
       "You, Jason," said Kenneth, sternly. "Were you given permission by some free person to engage in slut sport with this bond girl?"
       "No, Master," I said, head down.
       "You understand that you could be slain for this?" he inquired.
       "Yes, Master," I admitted.
       "How was she?" he asked.
       "Lovely, and slave hot," I said.
       The girl blushed, all the exposed parts of her body turning red, even her legs. I smiled. I did not think Kenneth truly objected to my rutting with the lovely, neck-ringed stable slut. Indeed, he had not kept her chained by the neck to her ring in the kennels for stable sluts this morning, a precaution which is not uncommon for a girl who is to be soon sold. Rather he had let her wander free. I think that he was not, in his way unkind. He had doubtless suspected that she would seek me out, or another male slave of her choice. There had been no great search for her. Kenneth, it seemed, had come almost directly to the barn where I was training. — Fighting Slave of Gor, pages 242-243.

Small Bow
A variation of the small, straight bow is that of the curved Horn Bow, favored by the Tuchuks.

"Bring me," I said, "the small horn bow of the Tuchuks, the barbed war arrows of the Wagon Peoples." — Assassin of Gor, page 365.
       The small bow, interestingly, has never been used among tarnsmen; perhaps this is because the kaiila is almost unknown above the equator, and the lesson of kaiilaback has not been much available to them; perhaps it is of tradition, which weighs heavily in Gorean life, even in military affairs for example, the phalanx was abandoned only after more than a century of attempts to preserve and improve it; or perhaps the reason is that range is commonly more important to tarnsmen in flight than maneuverability, of the bow. — Assassin of Gor, pages 365-366.

"In some cities, Port Kar, for example, the long bow is almost unknown. Similarly it is not widely known even in Glorious Ar, the largest city of known Gor. It is reasonably well know in Thentis, in the Mountains of Thentis, famed for her tarn flocks, and in Ko-ro-ba, my city, the Towers of Morning. Cities vary. But generally the bow is little known. Small straight bows, of course, not the powerful long bow, are, on the other hand, reasonably common on Gor, and these are often used for hunting light game, such as the brush-maned, three-toed Qualae, the yellow-pelted, single-horned Tabuk, and runaway slaves." — Raiders of Gor, page 4.

Snails
Slimy creatures, useful for food as well as fish bait.

Once the Forkbeard went to her and taught her to check the scoop, with her left hand, for snails, that they not be thrown overboard. Returning to me he held one of the snails, whose shell he crushed between his fingers, and sucked out the animal, chewing and swallowing it. He then threw the shell fragments overboard. "They are edible," he said. "And we use them for fish bait." — Marauders Gor, page 62.

Snake River
Tributary of the Northern Kaiila River, flowing southerly.

"The Snake, flowing in an almost southern direction, is a tributary to the Northern Kaiila." — Blood Brothers of Gor, pages 24-25.

Snout Strap
Used by tharlarion breeders, this strap is used to tie the beaks of newly hatched tharlarions to prevent injury to the breeder.

"Here, Jason," said Bares. "Come here! Listen!" I went to where he now knelt in the sand. The sand there began to sink down slightly. I saw it stir. Then, suddenly, the horny snout of a tharlarion thrust up from the hot sand. Its eyes blinked. Its tongue darted in and out of its mouth, licking sand from about its jaws. Its head was some eight inches in width. "Snout strap," said Bares.
       I picked up one of the long, leather, coiled snout straps lying at hand. The head of the tiny hatchling, some eight inches wide, some foot or so in length, was now fully emerged from the sand. I saw one clublike foot, clawed, strike up out of the sand. It hissed. I looped the snout strap about its jaws and tied them shut. It squirmed and half pulled itself from the leathery casing which had contained it, drawing it up, half out of the sand. — Fighting Slave of Gor, pages 271-272.

Snow Knife
A large, curved, saw-tooth knife made of bone; used by the Innuit to cut snow and make ice houses.

"… Imnak, with a large, curved, bone, saw-toothed knife, a snow knife, began to cut at a nearby drift of snow…" — Beasts of Gor, page 325.
       "When the domed shelter is completed … the last block is placed on the outside and the builder then goes within, and, with the snow knife, trimming and shaping, slips it into place … The snow knife suffices, when there is time, to shape the dwelling." — Beasts of Gor, pages 328-329.

Snow Lart
A mammalian of the arctic north.

"The hunter pulled a pelt from the bundle of furs he carried. It was snowy white, and thick, the winter fur of a two-stomached snow lart." — Beasts of Gor, page 74.

Soothsayer
Person who predicts the future using various magical amulets, etc.

Date: 14th century:
       "A person who predicts the future by magical, intuitive, or more rational means." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"Among them, too, were soothsayers and haruspexes …" — Nomads of Gor, page 34.

Southern Kaiila River
The southern branch of the Kaiila River.

"First, understand that there exists the Kaiila River, flowing generally in a southwestward direction. At a given point, high in the territory of the Kaiila tribe, it branches into two rivers, which are normally spoken of as the Northern Kaiila and the Southern Kaiila. … Subsequently, one supposes, watercourses originally understood to be, say, the rivers of the Kaiila people, or the rivers in the country of the Kaiila people, came to be known more simply as the Kaiila River, or Rivers. — Blood Brothers of Gor, pages 24-25.

Southern Quiva
Another term for the Tuchuk Saddle Knife.

"Bring me," I said, to the crossbowman, standing at the foot of the perch, "from the belongings of Gladius of Cos, kept in the compound of the Steels, the bola of the Tuchuks, the kaiila rope, the southern quiva." — Assassin of Gor, page 364.

Space Heater
Simple personal heating device made of a brazier filled with hot coals.

"And always under his table a brazier filled with hot coals burned near the feet of the scribe, perilously close to the scholarly litter with which the floor was strewn. It seemed that Torm was always cold or, at best, never quite warm enough. The hottest days would be likely to find him wiping his nose on the sleeve of his blue robes, shivering miserably and lamenting the price of fuel." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 37.

Spatha
A long, cutting sword of the Alars.

Spear Casting, Ritual of
Ritualistic signaling circling of two or more warriors about to battle. See: "Kajira Canjellne."

"For a long thee, neither man moved. Then, suddenly, the stranger, laughing, lifted his spear and struck its butt into the ground… Warily they began to circle one another… Suddenly, as though by common accord, each crying out, each uttering a savage cry, they hurled themselves at one another. It was the ritual of the spear casting." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 23.

Spear Gambling
A particular favorite wagering of the Wagon Peoples performed with a spear cast into the soil.

Chapter 3 (page 19) of Nomads of Gor is entitled "The Spear Gambling"

Spearman
A Kaissa piece.

"He must be insane, I said to myself. Such a move was utterly unrelated to the game. It was random, meaningless. He was subject to one of the most devastating attacks that could be mounted in the game. His Home Stone, in four moves would fall. He must defend, for his very life! With a trembling hand, the Vintner shoved his Second Spearman to the left, capturing the Player's First Spearman, which had not been defended." — Assassin of Gor, page 35.

Spider People
Also referred to as Swamp Spiders, a rather shy, rational creature. They are enemies of Ar, as they are hunted and killed, while only a few are kept alive to make the precious Cur-lon fiber, used in the mills of Ar.

It said, "My name is Nar, and I am of the Spider People." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 82.

Spiked Gauntlet
Often used in the games at the Stadium of Blades.

There were various matches in the pit of sand that evening. There was a contest of sheathed hook knife, one of whips and another of spiked gauntlets. — Assassin of Gor, page 120.

Spiked Planks
Similar to gangplanks, these boards are intended to be dropped onto the deck of an enemy ship.

"… each of the ships carried two or more of the spiked planks. These are actually like gangplanks, some five feet in width, to be fastened at one end to the round ship and intended to be dropped, with their heavy spiked ends, into the deck of an enemy ship." — Raiders of Gor, page 262.

Spikenard
A perennial; export from the Bazi region; an herb used in healing for salves Spikenard is a aromatic rhizome. The botanical name has its roots in the Hindu word Jatamansi which means "lock of hair." It's use goes back in several cultures and religions. Medically it's part of the Ayurveda, and is traditionally considered to calm the nerves and promote awareness and strengthen the mind. It is in the same family as Valeriana jatamansi (Indian valerian) and was sometimes used treatment of hysteria. Spikenard is one of the most common ingredients in ancient Japanese incense recipes.

Etymology:Middle English, from Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French spicanarde, from Medieval Latin spica nardi (translation of Greek nardou stachys), from Latin spica head (of grain), tuft (of a plant) + nardi, gen. of nardus nard;
       "1a: a costly ointment with a musky odor valued as a perfume in ancient times — called also nard;
       1b: an East Indian aromatic plant (Nardostachys jatamansi) of the family Valerianaceae from the dried roots and young stems of which the ointment spikenard is believed to have been derived
       2a: an American herb (Aralia racemosa) distinguished from wild sarsaparilla by its more aromatic root and its panicled umbels — called also American spikenard;
       2b: any of various other fragrant plants — usually used in combination, i.e., plowman's-spikenard." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2006

"There is a little market in simple Laura for the more exquisite goods of Gor. Seldom will one find there Torian rolls of gold wire, interlocking cubes of silver from Tharna, rubies carved into tiny, burning panthers from Schendi, nutmegs and cloves, spikenard and peppers from the lands east of Bazi, the floral brocades, the perfumes of Tyros, the dark wines, the gorgeous diaphanous silks of glorious Ar. Life, even by Gorean standards, is primitive in the region of the Laurius, and northward, to the great forests, and along the coast, upward to Torvaldsland." — Captive of Gor, page 86.

Sport Slave
Slave used as a bait for a hunter's sport; often a female hunter.

"You are then the sport slave?" I said.
       "Yes," said he, "purchased from the pens at Lydius, for a girl's hunting." — Beasts of Gor, page 21.

Springal
A type of catapult.

Etymology: probably from Middle English, a kind of catapult, from Middle French espringale; Date: 1501. — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"Besides her stem and stern castles the Dorna carried two movable turrets amidships, each about twenty feet high. She also carried, on leather-cushioned, swivel mounts, two light catapults, two chain-sling onagers, and eight springals." — Raiders of Gor, page 193.

Spurs
Metal spikes which are set into wooden blocks and buried in the sand, used as a military defense. See: "Iron Hook."

"Also, half buried in the sands among the stakes and set in wooden blocks would be iron hooks, much like those used in ancient times on Earth and sometimes called spurs." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 163.

Squash
Vegetable grown in agricultural communities in the Barrens.

"They grow produce for their masters, such as wagmeza and wagmu, maize, or corn, and such things as pumpkins and squash." — Savages of Gor, page 234.

Squirrel
Pesky cute rodent, which lives on the ground, as well as in trees. Likes to eat nuts and vegetation.

"Here, too, may be found snakes and monkeys, gliding urts, leaf urts, squirrels, climbing, long-tailed porcupines, lizards, sloths, and the usual varieties of insects, ants, centipedes, scorpions, beetles and flies, and so on." — Explorers of Gor, page 311.

Stabilization Serums
The serums given to all humans on Gor, slave and free, to prevent aging.

"The Player was a rather old man, extremely unusual on Gor, where the stabilization serums were developed centuries ago by the Caste of Physicians in Ko-ro-ba and Ar, and transmitted to the Physicians of other cities at several of the Sardar Fairs." — Assassin of Gor, page 29.

Stadium Attendant
Those who work the Stadium of Blades, intiating the battles or removing the dead from the arean; often they are slaves.

"Hurry!" I heard a stadium attendant call… The man was one of those slaves who, garbed in black, armed with iron hooks, drag the dead, human or beast, from the sand. — Assassin of Gor, page 339.

Stadium of Blades
An arena games of death take place, between men and men, and men and beast; the participants are not generally warriors, but are men of low caste, slaves, and criminals, et al.; much like ancient Rome and the famed gladiators of the coliseums. See also: "Ludi."

"I learned such things as the pacing of the bird, the model trajectories for negotiating the rings, techniques of avoiding birds and blocking others, sometimes forcing them to hit or miss the rings; racing could be, and, often was, as dangerous and cruel as the games in the Stadium of Blades, where men met men and beasts, and often fought to the death." — Assassin of Gor, page 188.

Stadium of Tarns
The tarn racing arena.

"He had even showed me, at night in the empty Stadium of Tarns, certain tricks of racing…" — Assassin of Gor, page 189.

Standard Bearer
In a line of warriors, the one who carries the standard, or banner, of a particular military unit.

"The standard bearer holding aloft on a lance, a representation of the four bosk horns, carved from wood, rode near us." — Nomads of Gor, page 105.

Standard Binding Position
The standard position a girl is commanded to assume for binding.

Starboard
The right side of a ship. However, though Tarl uses this term, it seems the expression "starboard" is not a part of the Gorean language, though there is an equivalent in Gorean, though he does not provide that information.

"In a few strokes the heavy Rena had swung some eight points, by the Gorean compass, to starboard." — Raiders of Gor, page 186.

"The exact expressions 'port' and 'starboard' do not exist in Gorean, though there are, naturally, equivalent expressions." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 362.

State Slave
A slave owned by a city, also known as a public slave; in Ar, the color of slave livery was gray to denote state ownership. See also: "Public Slave."

"At one point, to the shouts and delight of the men of the Ubar some two or three hundred girls were ushered quickly into the room of the court. They wore the brief gray livery of the state slave of Ar, slashed to the waist, knotted with a gray cord; about their throats was locked the gray metal collar of Ar's state slave; they were barefoot; on the left ankle of each was the gray metal band, with its five gray bells, worn by the female state slave." — Assassin of Gor, pages 395-396.

Steel Claws
Long, sharp steel claws which are 1.) attached to the claws of war tarns; and 2.) worn on fingers and used in fighting; often slave girls must fight this way in the cruel games at the Stadium of Blades.

"Sometimes slave girls are forced to fight slave girls, perhaps with steel claws fastened on their fingers, or several girls, variously armed, will be forced to fight a single man, or a small number of men." — Assassin of Gor, page 189.

Steel Tower
The fabled steel tower was the object of Tarl's quest to the Tahari Desert. Led by a renegade Kur, Tarl discovered the steel tower to be the visible portion of a spaceship half buried in the desert sand. It housed a destructive device which the Kurii intended to use to destroy the planet of Gor, and thusly moreso, to eradicate the race of the Priest-Kings themselves. The destructive device was destroyed at the last moment by Tarl Cabot.

"Towers of steel do not figure in the hallucinations, the delusions of the desert mad. Their delusions are influenced by wish-fulfillment; they involve water. Moreover, they are not likely to take the time to inscribe messages on rocks. Something had driven the man over the desert, something he had to tell. He had been, apparently, a raider. But yet, for some reason, he had fought his way, presumably eventually on foot, dying, through the desert, toward civilization, to warn someone, or something, of a steel tower. I did not doubt there was such a tower." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 63.

"I looked up at the sky. The Kurii, I suspected, did not want Earth, but Gor. Earth might be useful as a slave planet, but the true prize, the object of their predation, would be Gor. What then could be the next step? The uprising of native Kurii had been foiled in Torvaldsland. I had been in Torvaldsland at the time. The destruction of Gor, to rid themselves of the opposition of Priest-Kings Gor, had been foiled. When this had occurred I had been at the steel tower in the Tahari, the half-buried ship which had housed the destructive device. I gazed at the placid sky. Surely Kurii must by now, sense the weakness of the Nest. The ship, for Tahari which had housed the destructive device had penetrated the weakened defenses of the Priest-Kings. But the Priest-Kings, after the Nest War, would be rebuilding their power." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 363.

Steel Worlds
Kurii, forced to evacuate their planet due to their advanced technology which contributed to the ruin of their planet, now living on space ships.

"I lifted my head to the sky, wide and blue, with no clouds. Somewhere up there, beyond atmospheres, beyond the orbits of Gor, and Earth and Mars, in a boulder-strewn enigmatic blackness of space, in the silence of the fragments of the asteroid belt, were the steel worlds, the lairs and domiciles of Kurii." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 362.

[The] Steels
A tarn racing faction of Ar; their patch a blue-gray.

"The Steels were a new faction in Ar, their patch a bluish gray. But they had no following. Indeed, there had never yet been a Steel in a race in Ar." — Assassin of Gor, page 219.

"The Steels were a new faction in Ar, their patch a bluish gray. But they had no following. Indeed, there had never yet been a Steel in a race in Ar. I had heard, however, that the first tarn would fly for the Steels in this very race, the eleventh race, that which was shortly to begin. I did know, further, that a tarn cot for the Steels had been established during Se'Var and riders had been hired. The backing of the faction was a bit mysterious." — Assassin of Gor, page 219.

Stern
The rear of a ship.

"From the stern castle of the Dorna, then, with a long glass of the builders, I observed, far across the waters, the masts of ram-ships, one by one, lowering." — Raiders of Gor, page 197.

Stern Castle
Raised area on the deck at the rear of a ship used for combat or work purposes.

"From the stern castle of the Dorna, then, with a long glass of the builders, I observed, far across the waters, the masts of ram-ships, one by one, lowering." — Raiders of Gor, page 197.

Stimulation Cage
This fairly large, roomy cage is quite ornate, furnished with many fabrics and furs, as well as cosmetics, perfumes and jewelry in which a naked slave girl in training may be housed. The purpose of this cage is to aid in awakening her senses, more specifically, her tactile senses, so that she may be more pleasing to the masters. It should be noted that this cage is too short for her to stand upright, so that her head is always inclined in a gesture of submission.

Sting Flies
Also: "Needle Flies." Bothersome stinging flies generally found in marshlands.

Stones
This is a popular guessing game in which one player must guess whether the number of stones held in the fist of the second player is odd or even.

Storm Sail
Sail used on Gorean ships during times of heavy storms.

Stranger
The Gorean word for "stranger" is the same word for "enemy." But, of course, Mr. Norman did not provide anywhere in his 25 books, the actual Gorean word itself.

"It is interesting, incidentally, that in the Gorean language, the word for stranger is the same as the word for enemy." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 110.

"Indeed, in Gorean the same word is used for both stranger and enemy." — Outlaw of Gor, page 49.

"The words for stranger and enemy in Gorean are the same." — Nomads of Gor, page 9.

Strap-Master
One who drives the wagons pulled by the broad tharlarion, guiding the beasts.

"A bejeweled, curtained platform slung beneath the slow, swaying bodies of two of the broad tharlarions appeared. The beasts were halted by their strap-master, and after some seconds the curtains parted. — Tarnsman of Gor, page 119.

"It was one of the trusted strap-masters of Mintar, the man who guided the beasts that carried the merchant's palanquin." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 168.

Street of Brands
The area in a city where slavers conduct their business; home to the slave houses.

"I did ride once before on the back of a tarn," she said bitterly, "to Ar, bound across the saddle, before I was sold in the Street of Brands." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 70.

"Yes," said Portus, "and the rich Merchants, and the great houses, those on the Street of Coins, and on the Street of Brands, hire their own men." — Assassin of Gor, page 17.

Street of Coins
The area in a city where banking and other financial transactions take place.

"Yes," said Portus, "and the rich Merchants, and the great houses, those on the Street of Coins, and on the Street of Brands, hire their own men." — Assassin of Gor, page 17.

Street of the Field Gate
The street leading to the Field Gate; a main thoroughfare. See also: "Field Gate."

Street of Pots
The area of a city where shops of the pottery makers may be found.

"The Warrior, the Tarn Keeper and I remained the greater part of the day with the girls of the Street of Pots. — Assassin of Gor, page 228.

Street of Tapestries
The area of a city where shops of the cloth-worker's may be found.

Street of Tarns
The area of a city which is near the stadiums used for tarn racing.

"As I was passing under the main arch of the stadium, going to the broad street beyond, called The Street of Tarns because of its proximity to the stadium, I heard a voice behind me." — Assassin of Gor, page 156.

Street Veil
One of the veils worn by free women of Gor.

Strigil
Bathing instrument used to scrap the skin. Pictured: Roman Strigils, c. 1st Century BC

"An instrument used in ancient Greece and Rome for scraping the skin after a bath." — American Heritage College Dictionary, Third Edition ©2001

"The thermae were designed along a central axis: the caldarium or hot bath; a smaller area for the tepidarium or warm bath; the basilica, which held the frigidarium or cold bath; and the natatio, an open-air bathing pool. Symmetrically arranged on either side of the baths were rooms for changing, massage, depilation, and medicinal use. From the changing rooms (apodyteria), one would go to the gymnasia (palaestrae) to exercise and from there to a sauna (laconica) to induce an even greater sweat. Then the bather passed to the caldarium, after which he scraped his skin clean with a strigil, and to the tepidarium for a cooler bath and, finally, to the frigidarium for a bracing plunge in a cold bath, which was the regimen recommended by Galen, himself." — Encyclopaedia Romana ©2002

"Afterwards, Nela gave me the first rubbing, with coarse oils, loosening dirt and perspiration, and scraped me with the thin, flexible bronze strigil; then she gave me the second rubbing, vigorous and stimulating, with heavy toweling; then she gave me the third rubbing, that with fine, scented oils, massaged at length into the skin." — Assassin of Gor, pages 163-164.

Stylus
Writing implement.

Etymology: Latin stylus, stilus spike, stylus; Date: 1807
       "An instrument for writing, marking, or incising: as:
       (a) an instrument used by the ancients in writing on clay or waxed tablets;
       (b): a hard-pointed pen-shaped instrument for marking on stencils used in a reproducing machine;
       (c)(1); Needle, a slender rod (as of jewel or steel) with a rounded tip used in a phonograph to transmit vibrations from a record;
       (c)(2) a cutting tool used to produce an original record groove during disc recording;
       (d) a pen-shaped pointing device used for entering positional information (as from a graphics tablet) into a computer." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"Caprus noted this with his stylus on his tablet." — Assassin of Gor, page 49.

Submission [Position]
The position a woman takes before a man, which displays her submission to him. Also known as "Female Submission."

Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin submission-, submissio act of lowering, from submittere; Date: 14th century;
       "The condition of being submissive, humble, or compliant; an act of submitting to the authority or control of another." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"She lowered her head and extended her arms, wrists crossed, the submission of the Gorean female." — Raiders of Gor, page 92.

Submit [Command]
The command of a free for the slave to assume the position of submission.

"Submit!" he boomed at the large, blond girl and, terrified, almost leaping, she lowered her head, thrusting forward her hands, wrists crossed. In an instant, with peasant knots, Thurnock had lashed them together. — Raiders of Gor, page 93.

Submission, Rites Of
The ritual performed after the capture of a new slave.

Submission Rug
At one time in Tharna as a part of the Rite of Submission, a captive woman was placed upon a scarlet rug, naked and bound with yellow cords.

"In those days it had been a portion of the rites of submission, as practiced in Tharna, to strip and bind the captive with yellow cords and place her on a scarlet rug, the yellow of the cord being symbolic of talenders, a flower often associated with feminine love and beauty, the scarlet of the rug being symbolic of blood, and perhaps of passion." — Outlaw of Gor, page 205.

Sul
Starchy vegetable; probably a deviant relative of the potato family.

"The Tarn Keeper, who was called by those in the tavern Mip, bought the food, bosk steak and yellow bread, peas and Torian olives, and two golden-brown, starchy Suls, broken open and filled with melted bosk cheese. I bought the Paga, and several times we refilled our cups." — Assassin of Gor, page 168.

Sul-Paga
Clear, alcoholic brew made from the Sul.

Sula
The Gorean word meaning "Supine" or to lie on one's back.

"Sula, Kajira!" said the man. She slid her legs from under her and lay on her back, her hands at her sides, palms up, her legs open. — Explorers of Gor, page 77.

Sula-Ki
An IRC invented slave girl position. In accordance with the Gorean language, "Ki" meaning "not," then the command of "Sula-Ki" would mean to "not to lie supine" See also: "Ki."

Suleiman
Suleiman was the Ubar of the Oasis of Nine Wells. I have seen references in other pages that suggest "Suleiman" to be some sort of title. This is incorrect. It is simply the name of a man.

"The socio-economic differences between the administrators and the common people also affected the clothing styles. While the Palace and its court displayed showy clothes, the common people were only concerned with covering themselves. The administrators occasionally brought about legal regulations on clothes. These applications were first initiated during the period of Süleyman the Magnificent. In this period men wore outer items such as 'mintan', 'zibin', 'salvar', 'kusak', 'potur', 'entari'; 'kalpak', 'sarik' on the head; 'çarik', 'çizme', 'çedik', 'yemeni' on the feet. The administrators and the wealthy wore caftans with fur lining and embroidery, where as the middle class wore 'cübbe', 'hirka' and the poor wore collarless 'cepken' or 'yelek'. Bashlyks were the most prominent accessories of social statues. While the people wore "külah's" covered with 'abani' or 'yemeni', the cream of the society wore bashlyks such as 'yusufi, örfi, katibi, kavaze', etc. During the rule of Süleyman, a bashlyk called 'perisani' was populer as the Palace people valued bashlyks adorned with precious stones. 'Kavuk', however, was the most common type of bashlyk. For this reason, a related tradesmenship was formed in the XVII. century. Fur was a material of prestige in that period."
       Koçu, Resat Ekrem. Türk Giyim Kusam ve Süslenme Sözlügü. Ankara: Sümerbank, 1967.
       Küçükerman, Önder. Türk Giyim Sanayinin Tarihi Kaynaklari. Istanbul: GSD Dis Ticaret AS, 1966.
       Sevin, Nurettin. Onüç Asirlik Türk Kiyafet Tarihine Bir Bakis. Ankara: T.C. Kültür Bakanligi, 1990.
       Feyzi, Muharrem. Eski Türk Kiyafetleri ve Güzel Giyim Tarzlari
       Tuglaci, Pars. Osmanli Saray Kadinlari / The OttomanPalace Women. Istanbul: Cem Yayinevi,1985.

"I had failed to contact them in Kasra, as I had planned, but I had learned that they were in the region of Tor, purchasing kaiila, for a caravan to the kasbah, or fortress, of Suleiman, of the Aretai tribe, master of a thousand lances, Ubar of the Oasis of Nine Wells." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 44.

Sullage
Staple stew of Gor.

Sulport
One of the Vosk River townships.

"West of Ar's Station on the river I had visited Jort's Ferry, Point Alfred, Jasmine, Siba, Sais, and Sulport." — Rogue of Gor, page 63.

Sundial
A timekeeping device which is measured by the shadows of the sun.

"An instrument to show the time of day by the shadow of a gnomon on a usually horizontal plate or on a cylindrical surface." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"The average Gorean has a variety of simple devices at his disposal for making the passage of time. Typical among them are marked, or calibrated, candles, sun dials, sand glasses, clepsydras and oil clocks." — Magicians of Gor, page 358.

Sun Lances
A warrior society of the Sleen; the sign for them are yellow lances, which are painted on the flanks of their kaiila.

"What were the yellow lances on the flanks of the kaiila of the Sleen?' I asked.
      "The Sun Lances," said Grunt, "a warrior society of the Sleen." — Savages of Gor, pages 314.

Sun Shield Theory
See: "Theory of the Sun Shield."

Supreme Home Stone
There exists on Gor, dreams and hopes of one single home stone, uniting the entire planet together as one, this being the Supreme Home Stone. Such Home Stone is believed by some to be in the hands of the Priest-Kings.

"It is the occasional dream of a conqueror or statesman," he said, "to have but a single Supreme Home Stone for the planet." Then, after a long moment, not looking at me, he said, "It is rumored that there is such a stone, but it lies in the Sacred Place and is the source of the Priest-Kings' power." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 28.

Supreme Initiate
The Initiate who believed himself to be above all Initiates of all Gor. Self-belief, however.

"… the High Initiate of the city of Ar appeared on the walls. This man claimed to be the Supreme Initiate of all Initiates on Gor and to take his appointment from the Priest-Kings themselves. Needless to say, his claim was not acknowledged by the Chief Initiates of Gor's free cities, who regarded themselves as sovereign in their own cities. — Tarnsman of Gor, page 187.

Sutler
One who follows the armies to sell supplies, etc. to the warriors.

"A person who followed an army to sell things to its soldiers." — American Heritage College Dictionary, Third Edition ©2001

"You bought them surreptitiously from sutlers," I speculated. — Mercenaries of Gor, page 80.

Swamp Forest
Forest surrounding swamp lands.

"The third day's camp was made in the swamp forest that borders the city of Ar on the north. " — Tarnsman of Gor, page 74.

Swamp Spiders
Large intellectual spiders known properly as the Spider People. See: "Spider People."

"Approaching me, stepping daintily for all its bulk, prancing over the strands, came one of the Swamp Spiders of Gor." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 81.

Swamp Tree
A tree indigenous to the swamps and marshes of Gor.

"Without thinking, I leaped from the back of Nar, seizing one of the long, tendril-like vines that parasitically interlace the gnarled forms of the swamp trees." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 85.

Swamp Vine
Vines found in the swamplands.

"Without thinking, I leaped from the back of Nar, seizing one of the long, tendril-like vines that parasitically interlace the gnarled forms of the swamp trees." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 85.

Sweetmeats
A sugary treat.

"'During the time of the race the hawkers of candies, sweetmeats, Kal-da, pastries and paga were quiet, standing with their goods in the aisles watching." — Assassin of Gor, page 139.

Swing Bridge
A type of bridge used specifically in Port Kar along its canalways.

"The larger canals in Port Kar, incidentally, have few bridges, and those they have are commonly swing bridges, which may be floated back against the canal's side. This makes it possible for merchant ships, round ships, with permanently fixed masts, to move within the city, and, from the military point of view, makes it possible to block canals and also, when drawn back, isolate given areas of the city by the canals which function then as moats. The swing bridges are normally fastened back, except from the eighth to the tenth Ahn and from the fifteenth to the seventeenth Ahn." — Explorers of Gor, page 61.

Sword Brother
A form of kinship amongst warriors, when a warrior has shed another warrior's blood, regardless if they are of the same city or not, they become sword brothers, unless such blood is repudiated, as per the Codes of Warriors.

"Do not harm him," said Kazrak. "He is my sword brother, Tarl of Bristol." Kazrak's remark was in accord with the strange warrior codes of Gor, codes which were as natural to him as the air he breathed, and codes which I, in the Chamber of the Council of Ko-ro-ba, had sworn to uphold. One who has shed your blood, or whose blood you have shed, becomes your sword brother, unless you formally repudiate the blood on your weapons. It is part of the kinship of Gorean warriors regardless of what city it is to which they owe their allegiance. It is a matter of caste, an expression of respect for those who share their station and profession, having nothing to do with cities or Home Stones. — Tarnsman of Gor, page 119.

Sword-Right
When a warrior has won a slave girl by slave-challenge, or Kajira canjellne (See: "Kajira Canjellne"), the warrior thus owns her by "sword-right."

"Tarl of Bristol," I said." And this is my woman, whom I claim by sword-right." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 120.

 

 

Special Note

Because of the differences in publishing the books, depending upon whether published in the U.S. or Europe, depending upon whether a first publishing or a Masquerade Books release, page numbers will often vary. All of my quotes are from original, first-printing U.S. publications (see The Books page for a listing of publishers and dates) with the exception of the following books:

• Tarnsman of Gor (2nd Printing, Balantine)
• Outlaw of Gor (11th Printing, Balantine)
• Priest-Kings of Gor (2nd Printing, Balantine)
• Assassin of Gor (10th Printing, Balantine)
• Raiders of Gor (15th Printing, Balantine)
• Captive of Gor (3rd Printing, Balantine)

Disclaimer

These pages are not written for any specific home, but rather as informational pages for those not able to get ahold of the books and read them yourself. Opinions and commentaries are strictly my own personal views, therefore, if you don't like what you are reading — then don't. The information in these pages is realistic to what is found within the books. Many sites have added information, assuming the existences of certain products and practices, such as willowbark and agrimony for healing, and travel to earth and back for the collection of goods. I've explored the books, the flora, the fauna, and the beasts, and have compiled from those mentioned, the probabilities of certain practices, and what vegetation mentioned in the books is suitable for healing purposes, as well as given practicalities to other sorts of roleplaying assumptions.

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